The Bartowskis vs the Spy World
by MyNameIsJeffNImLost
Summary: Sequel to Chuck vs the Nemesis's Ex. Season 1 AU. Chuck had the Intersect uploaded into his brain by an email from his nemesis, something that his wife hates because it puts him at risk and something that she simultaneously loves because her official CIA mission is to protect the man she wants to be near. How's that going to work?
1. The Big Kahuna

_Posted August 3, 2019_

A/N: This story continues the whirlwind adventures of Mr and Mrs Bartowski after Chuck gets the Intersect in _Chuck vs the Nemesis's Ex_. Timeline-wise, it starts immediately after chapter 8 of that story. (It's after the chronological end. That story's final chapter, chapter 9, was an insert scene set between chapters 4 and 5.)

Disclaimer: Nobody else owns anything here, so why would I?

Disclaimer 2: No beta. Why would I sucker/obligate/subject anyone into reading this when they didn't want to? I'd rather people just enjoy reading it. However, if you PM me corrections, I'll fix them.

* * *

_**Later in the morning, September 19, 2007**_

After Chuck went back to work, leaving Sarah alone in the home theater room. She inhaled deeply and tried to collect her thoughts. She practically basked in the knowledge that her _job_ was to stay as close to her husband as possible. That's what she wanted to do anyway.

What had been done to her Chuck was scary, but all signs were that he was ok and she'd be working closely with him. She'd keep him completely out of harm's way because she needed him to be safe. She would never have wished for him to be forced into the spy world. The truth was Sarah no longer looked forward to the next mission because that took her away from her husband. With her husband being her mission, at least there was a bright side. They could deal any problems tomorrow. Whatever they had to deal with, they'd deal with together, preferably with him in a safer position right behind her.

She loved Chuck beyond measure before any of this happened. In less than a day, she had discovered he had two hidden talents: a new one downloaded into his brain and an old one that included unparalleled skills as hacker. He still owed her an explanation on that old skill, but a couple things were clear already. He had no hesitation using that skill to do good, and he was more amazing than anyone ever thought possible. She was proud of him. Already that morning, he had prevented a bomb from going off in a hotel. Who knew what else he could do?

She had put her head back on the sofa with her eyes shut and faced upwards toward the ceiling, when she heard a noise at the door. "Oh, we're sorry Mrs B. Don't mind us," said a man green-shirt. His name tag said Harold. The green-shirt woman with him, Leticia, giggled and hid her face in his chest as they both backed out to the sales floor.

Sarah excused herself and said she was leaving, but did wonder to herself how two employees could come to a semi-public area to make-out while the store was still open. Leticia quiet suggested to Harold that they try the break room. He suggested a sock. Sarah assumed they were only going to make out because anyone could walk in regardless of the warning sock. It's not like that place was particularly private from other employees. She figured there must be a lot of back rooms and storage closets that afforded more privacy and could be used for more intimate activities. In fact, Chuck and she should try finding one later, after lunch.

Sarah saw Chuck finish with a customer, leaving that person satisfied with a phone that was working again. Then he put his head down in his arms on the Nerd Herd desk. Apparently that customer had taken a lot of patience. Sarah walked up to the counter and pressed the bell. Without looking, Chuck said, "Not now, Morgan," putting his hand on top of hers.

When Chuck realized it wasn't Morgan, he shot straight up to attention. The two of them gave each other goofy smiles. Sarah said, "About lunch. Is Lou's ok, or do you go there a lot?"

"Actually, I've never been there. It hasn't been open very long. I normally eat Sbarro's, Subway, Wienerlicious, Ellie's leftovers, or a sandwich I packed. I've heard some of the people who work hear talking about how it's too fancy. They said Subway is good enough and they don't need custom sandwiches. It has a menu they're familiar with and is cheaper. I think Big Mike likes the 'low calorie/fresh' options there, not considering that twice as much food is still a lot of calories. I've been meaning to try Lou's, though. Let's go when I get off for lunch."

Sarah's smile got even bigger. She could still barely believe she was actually getting to stay with Chuck instead of flying across the country to go back to work tonight. She originally wanted to marry Chuck partially to make him understand that she was always coming back. Now it seemed that their marriage meant she didn't have to leave at all. "Ok, I'll be back here at—"

She was interrupted by a panic-stricken man who was worried that the camera recording of his daughter's dance recital wouldn't play back. Chuck gave Sarah an apologetic smile and went to help. Chuck quickly discovered the recital wasn't actually recorded because there was no tape. Instead of just explaining how the dad had screwed up and was fated for the dog house, he organized an impromptu show in front of the wall of TV screens at the side of the sales floor. He wasn't just the store's top nerd. He was a hero that rallied the troops and saved the day. He even boosted the morale of the tiny dancer before her performance. To Sarah, it was almost as impressive as finding a mad bomber, simply because this was what he always did. He went above and beyond like it was natural for him.

Sarah was sure if Chuck didn't have to continue his shift and the room was empty, she would mount him right there. She felt fortunate that he was already her husband because he'd be too surprised if some person he had just met wanted him so much. After seeing Chuck go far beyond what a normal retail employee would do, just to save a stranger, she couldn't believe it, but she loved him more.

Chuck started back to finish his conversation with her about lunch plans, but Harry Tang cut in front of Chuck, complaining about how Chuck was wasting time. That meant wasting Buy More dollars. Chuck said he didn't know Buy More had its own currency.

Sarah had been staying back and letting Chuck do his thing, seeing how his unique brand Chuck-ness was needed, but she could stay out of it no further. She came up to the two of them and asked, "Chuck, how many Buy More dollars will those installation and service contracts cost me?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

She had been coming up with impromptu cover scenarios her whole life. She really needed to get Chuck to follow her lead more, no matter how strange it seemed. In this case, it wasn't much of a made-up story. She really wanted him to at least sanity check whatever the CIA put into her new office. "It would be for my new business. I'd like for you to set up my computers, and I'd like your top-level support and maintenance contract. I can't afford to have computer issues when other people are relying on me to make it possible to have a good retirement." Saving money. Saving the world so other spies can still spend their money. Same thing.

Chuck remained confused, "Your company is setting it up. Isn't it going to handle the tech support?"

"They will provide the hardware themselves, but frankly they normally work on a larger scale. I said retail, but it's not like I'm going to be taking customers off the street. It's more of a service to people in the company who need to do things that are more private in nature. I trust you to handle my specific needs because you are better than I could expect from their experts. They will leave when they're done anyway. Your services as a Nerd Herd expert are just what I need." Sarah punctuated that be wrapping her hand around Chuck's neck and pulling him down to smack his lips with hers.

That cover story was actually true. She was thinking her cover job would be as a personal financial consultant and tax adviser for very wealthy employees at her company. Some companies offered financial consultant services for all of their employees. Normally it was some large company providing advertising and contacts for some other large financial services company. She figured it was be an in-house variant. She was good enough at what she does that they were letting her set up an office where she wanted. She didn't even have to explain that much of the cover story to an annoying sales supervisor. He should see her as a customer with a lot of money to burn.

Sarah was sure she heard Harry mumble rather rudely something under his breath. Not only was it untrue that she was giving work to her husband as some sort of nepotism, there were a lot of good reasons for the service contract. Most of them were national security related, not that she would ever tell Harry that. Sarah was ecstatic she would be working nearby, but her preference was Chuck would stay clear of the danger of the spy world. Her business was a CIA front, and a service contract would give Chuck a reason to come over, other than visiting his wife. Maybe it couldn't be used for most of the times she hoped to see him, but it was a non-spousal reason and could be used if an emergency came up when he wasn't on break. Also, after seeing him shred through the security of LA traffic control, the NSA, and the Chinese government, she trusted her husband a lot more than the IT people who would normally do the work. He was going to be setting up their new apartment, too.

She narrowed her eyes at the little bald man who had disrespected her as a customer. This man had to be number two on Chuck's enemies list, not that she expected him to keep a list. He would just roll with the punches. She was the one who would do something about it. She looked at the yellow name tag on the abrasive man's green shirt, as if she needed a reminder of the name. "Harry. I'm fortunate that my company is letting me move out here to be near my husband. They want me do keep doing what I am good at, so they are setting up an office for me out here. The new business will be handling the needs of many of the company's top employees." She didn't like what she was about to say. It was too flashy, but maybe it would work. "If you haven't seen my car, I'm sure you've heard about it. It's not a lease, and I don't have car payments. I didn't buy it as a status symbol. I bought it because I wanted the best." _Best. Fastest—same thing._ "A lot of my new work is going to be done through a computer. The office's computers need to work well. I want the best to set them up, and Chuck is the best. I've worked with my company's computer people. They are really good at what they do, but I'm certain they couldn't do what this man can do. Also, the two of us are moving to a new apartment in the next few weeks, and a friend is moving in next door. That's the same man who just placed the large order for his uncle's security system. He needs all new appliances and electronics for home. We'll need mostly new stuff. For the apartments, I expect we'll need some things we can by at this store. Morgan can help if we have questions or need to set up delivery. Chuck will provide our installation and support needs, through two more of your most expensive service contracts."

Sarah wasn't particularly happy she had to do that. It was all true. She still couldn't believe someone would act like he did where customers could see his behavior. She didn't know the details of what money the store typically brought-in, but with two bare apartments, a new office, an expensive security system that required a special demos, and multiple new delivery, installation, and support contracts, she was pretty sure she had just represented more than the store's typical daily take. With the CIA and NSA's deep pockets, they could probably buy the store. They would willing do that without batting an eye for something like protecting the government's secrets.

Harry didn't acknowledge Sarah and said to Chuck, "I see how it is. No wonder Bike Mike wants me for assistant manager. He knows you'll never leave the comfort of the herd, unless your new ball and chain makes you leave altogether." He rudely walked off. Apparently Harry Tang's disrespectful attitude towards his coworkers also extended to their spouses, even when they were big whale customers.

Chuck said to Sarah, "Sorry about that. I didn't even know there was an assistant manager opening. Obviously, Harry wants it. With this new thing in my head, I probably shouldn't—"

Sarah stopped him with a kiss. "I'm starting a business in the plaza to be near you here. Tactically, this is a good place for you to work because it gives you flexibility that you wouldn't have if you were sequestered in an office. From what I've seen on two days I've watched you work, you practically run the place. Whether you do that as Nerd Herd Supervisor or Assistant Manager doesn't matter to me. Whatever you do, I get you as a husband, and that's more than enough for me. If that obnoxious man is your superior, we'll deal with it. If you're his, but he's still your best friend's boss...we'll deal with that too. If you really want to work someplace else...maybe the Wienerlicious is hiring."

Chuck laughed and said, "You're funny." Sarah briefly kissed him yet again.

This was their first time together as a married couple in Burbank, and she still hadn't figured out how to abstain from frequently attaching their lips when the opportunity was right in front of her. She told him, "Now, I'm going to check out that Underpants, Etc. store next door and see if they have any lingerie or whether I need to find the closest Victoria's Secret. I should leave and stop distracting you so you can go back to saving the people of Burbank. I'll meet you when your lunch break starts at quarter after 1." Sarah gave Chuck another kiss, one that didn't end very quickly, then walked out of the store with a little sway to her hips.

She heard Chuck say, "Like I'm not going to be mentally distracted how."

Sarah returned through the front doors of the store exactly when Chuck's lunch break was supposed to start. Chuck quickly slid around the end of the Nerd Herd desk to go out with her, but then stopped when he saw she had a bag from Lou's. Apparently, they didn't have to leave.

Chuck unfroze and met his wife in the main aisle, halfway between the Nerd Herd station and the front. They parted after a few seconds, and Chuck pointed to the bag as a question.

Sarah explained, "I talked with Lou. She's feisty, but nice. I figured it would be a good idea to get to know the new neighbors."

"Wait a second. Lou is a woman?"

"Yeah. There was this heavy-set, older man who I originally guessed was the place's namesake, but he was just a big guy with an Italian accent that cut the meat. She was in charge. She's too short for you."

"What? Why? I don't understand." Chuck said with a confused expression.

Sarah gave him a doubtful look through her eyelashes. "You do realize I'm going to be working practically next door, right?"

Chuck quickly responded, "And I'm thrilled about that. I hope you realize that there is no point of me looking at any other women that way. A few months ago, I didn't think I had a chance. Now, it wouldn't be fair to them because they couldn't hope to compare with the most beautiful woman in the world, who I'm lucky enough to call my wife. If that wasn't enough, I wouldn't want lesser women to find the business end of a throwing knife when they were inferior anyway."

Sarah had come to see Chuck a few weeks ago without removing the knives that she normally wore when doing things like going on missions and running errands. It was during that time when Chuck didn't even know she was CIA. He learned she often went around armed when he had found the knives after removing her skirt. After they got married, Chuck admitted that her being a spy made a lot more sense than Sarah thinking she needed them for safety when walking around DC.

Chuck winked and said, "I love your brilliant blue eyes, so you have no need for them to ever be green." Chuck gave Sarah a quick kiss on the nose and folded her into a hug. Then after a few seconds, she broke her serious expression with a small, tight grin, and she kissed him again. Chuck has mentioned once that she had cured his fear of PDA. That was something for which she planned to take full advantage.

"Is this Lou why you didn't want me to eat there today?" he asked.

"No. I figured if we eat here faster, we'll have time before the end of your lunch break to find a private area. Of course we'll need to make sure it's really private, so we'll have to find something to do to pass the time."

Sarah tried wagging her eyebrows. She knew Chuck was better at it, but he got the message. They stopped talking and went back to the break room to eat as fast as they could and then explore other parts of the back. No more wasting time.

* * *

Songs:  
Big Kahuna's theme song, which happens to be "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris (See my tumblr for a youtube link to the monster truck's theme song and for scenes to three movies that used this song.)  
"Coppelia Ballet Suite: Festival of the Clocks and Dance of the Hours" by Amilcare Ponchielli (You'll recognize it from the show)


	2. Apache

_Posted August 5, 2019_

A/N: They figured out Zarnow was a bad guy on the first day. What now?

* * *

_**September 20, 2007**_

Sarah slowly woke in her bed—a bed in a place she could actually call a home. At least that's what the apartment was for the next three weeks. After that, this same bed would be in her new home across the courtyard. Regardless, she had a welcome body pressed against her back as she laid on her side.

Sarah didn't know what Ellie would be doing to this room after Sarah and Chuck moved out, other than nailing the window shut. Chuck had told Sarah she could put a work-out bag in the guest room of their new home. If Morgan crashed some night when he visited, he would be relegated to the couch. Chuck said Morgan's clothing would be mandatory, a thought that frightened Sarah a little because she had assumed that was obvious.

She leisurely tangled her right hand with the one from her bedmate that was laying on top of her. Their hands more together in a series of motions that kept them entwined in different ways. After a few seconds, she realized that the man behind her wasn't asleep either. She turned to look, and after meeting his eyes, they both knew what was next. Their lips fused and their bodies moved as if they couldn't grab enough of each other. There was no stopping them.

A while later, they both laid back, breathing heavily. Sarah finally spoke. "We really do need to get ready. We have to go to the local CIA office downtown where, assuming the clearance paperwork comes through, we should be able to get access to the NSA employee directory to look for this Perseus guy. Driving there will take a little while in traffic. Unfortunately, that means we shouldn't 'save water' because we both know that would talk longer. I can shower quickly. I'll go first. "

In a flash, Sarah got up, threw on one of Chuck's T-shirts, and hurried to the bathroom. The only hesitation in the blonde blur was when she stopped to give Chuck a firm kiss before she left the room.

When she returned, she found her husband typing away at the computer, one of the few things that wasn't boxed up, even though they weren't moving for a few weeks. The computer was one of those things that _needed_ to remain out, like the game system connected to the TV and the Tron poster. She put her arms around Chuck from the back and pressed her lips and nose to the side of his neck as she leaned over him. "It's your turn. We ought to hurry so we maybe we can get the directory before lunch."

Chuck said, "No need. You know that CIA email account that was set up for me yesterday? I was cc'd an official authorization to see the employee directory."

Sarah happily said, "That'll help when we get to where we can access it."

"We're there. Now that I have permission, I thought, 'why wait?' Here a list of the dossiers of NSA-affiliated scientists."

She continued to hold Chuck on the shoulders, but pulled back and stood up straight in surprise. "Wait. You already have it?"

Chuck sheepishly said, "Yes."

Sarah hugged him tightly him from behind. "I found out yesterday that you're a brilliant hacker. Employee information is about as protected as defense satellites because people's lives depend on our enemies not knowing who works for us. However, you just got in from your home computer while I took a fast shower. How good are you?"

Chuck shrugged. "Pretty good, I guess. I haven't done this sort of thing since before I was kicked out of Stanford. I never did something bad or something people wouldn't like. For example, I didn't take other people's money and make donations to their rival causes, like in that movie, _Sneakers_. It was just to see if I could do it."

"Chuck, governments of the world have been trying for years to do the types of things you did from an electronics store's home theater room and then again from our bedroom personal computer. You're a lot better than 'pretty good.' You might be more deadly that I am. I'm glad you're on our side. For this new Intersect team—"

Chuck stopped the compliments, interrupting by asking, "Do you think Casey will be ok with 'Team Bartowski?' There are two of us and one of him. He might count for two, but you should count for twenty-five."

"I don't know. We're not letting him suggest names, though. That name works for me. For _Team Bartowski_, you can handle the computer stuff, both in and out of your head. Casey is there if we need someone to look big. I've got the other stuff." She looked to the computer screen. "Which one of these people looks like he might be Perseus?"

Chuck started through the directory. Acker and Aitkens had specialties in material science and bio-weapons design, so they didn't look promising. After Anders and Andrewson, Sarah expressed relieve under her breath.

"What is it?"

With an Australian accent, Sarah said, "Bryce and I often posed as Mr. and Mrs. Anderson when we worked as a team. Eva Anderson was sometimes a scientist. Inserting a false background for cover ID into our government's own records seems like something Bryce would do going too far."

She gave Chuck a quick kiss on the cheek, and he went back to the directory. After seeing Howard Busgang, Chuck flashed. Sarah didn't miss it and asked Chuck for confirmation. He said, "That's him. He did research in how the brain stores memories and how that relates to how a computer stores information. He works for Constellation Science. That probably means the Perseus code name is for stars."

Sarah gave Chuck another kiss on the neck and squeezed him from behind. She said, "He's based in the area. We could go see him today. That saves a day. I thought we'd have to fly somewhere to see him. He probably won't be at work for a while, so we have some time. You need to take a shower, and I could use another one, so I'll join you in a minute."

Chuck caught the implication, so he quickly logged out and hurried to the bathroom.

* * *

After a shower that didn't conserve water, Sarah and Chuck dressed in the bedroom.

Chuck said, "I understand you leaving your clothes in the suitcase and you not using any space in my closet because we're moving in a few weeks. Why unpack and repack in a few days? However, at least let me move those games out of your way so you have some space."

He started to move a large stack of game boxes out of the way, when she stopped him. "Just curious. Why do you have those particular games out?"

"Well, the other night Morgan and I played Grand Theft Auto, Halo 1, Halo 2, and Call of Duty."

"There's two Halos?"

"Yeah, that's a first person shooter game set in the future in an interstellar war. There's a backstory plot, which continues through the two games. The third one is coming out in a few days. Morgan is really excited. Part of me is too, but I've already told him that moving takes priority, so the next game night might be a few days after the 25th."

"You were probably were thinking I'd be gone. _I_ thought I'd be gone. I don't want to make you drift away from your best friend now that you're married and he's still single. I'll go out with Ellie again. I like spending time with her. Last time was fun until I came home and found you on the floor, so don't go solving computer riddles again. What's with the flight simulators?"

"Yeah. Well. Pretending to soar through the air has always been kind of fun. Ever since I found out my girlfriend had a pilot's license, I've been more interested playing a few of them again. When I found out she could fly jets, I've been playing them all again. That was even before I found out _why_ my wife knows how to fly jets."

She pulled one from the stack and held it up. "This one. _Apache Chopper Patrol_. I've flown helicopters a few times. They're vital for certain types of extractions from hot zones. However, they are death traps. They can't get away fast enough, so I've had to take up a defensive position, half-hanging out the side, to lay suppression fire. I've been in a chopper that was hit. Bracing for a crash landing, then having to shoot my way out on foot is not an experience I'd like to repeat. If I have anything to say about it, you're never getting in one and I'm not doing it again. Even for a scenic tour. You can go ahead and pack this game away. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Chuck tossed the game in a random moving box.

* * *

When Chuck and Sarah arrived at Busgang's office building shortly after 9am, Sarah insisted to the security guard at the reception desk that they needed to see Dr Busgang immediately. The Intersect had dragged her untrained husband into a world of danger, and the doctor was their best lead for getting him out. She wasn't about to put up with anyone in the way of keeping him safe.

The man looked hesitant because Chuck and Sarah didn't have an appointment, so Sarah fixed him with a deadly stare and said it was an emergency. Chuck said Constellation Science was on the second floor, so Sarah pulled him up the stairs without waiting for the tough-looking man to say anything. She didn't think the place was that secure, not that they could stop her anyway.

Past a big lab with a supercomputer that was behind glass on a second-story loft, Busgang was working at a desk in a small office to the side. When two people burst in, he looked up, a little perturbed.

Sarah said, "We need to talk, now." She didn't bother with his name. After Zarnow and Flemming, she didn't waste time with pleasantries on another Intersect scientist.

He said, "Please state the nature of the emergency."

Chuck only stopped snickering when Sarah leveled a glare in his direction. She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to the scientist, and Chuck said, "It's definitely him."

Back to Busgang, Sarah said, "This is about the Intersect."

"The what?"

Sarah continued with her no-nonsense tone, "The NSA has had their top scientists working on the Intersect computer for the past few years. Your research is in how computer storage and memory are related to each other. Don't bother to try to pretend you weren't involved, unless you're willing to admit you're not qualified. If that is the case, the NSA can discontinue working with you. If you will just be honest with us that you're the one known as Perseus, we can deal with what happened two nights ago."

The attack on his pride worked. "How do you know about the Intersect? What happened to it?"

Sarah said, "The Intersect prototype was destroyed." Busgang's face expressed his shock. "Information was stolen. We're trying to regain control of the situation."

The door behind them was opened by a man who wasn't happy that the doctor had visitors. Busgang stood up and said, "Duncan!"

Upon getting a good look at the man, Chuck started to flash. Duncan reached inside his coat because he didn't like the idea of people he didn't know talking to his scientist. Sarah didn't wait. With one roundhouse kick she knocked the man flat to his back. She took a step forward and put her heel on the man's neck. She quickly reached down and pulled the gun from under his suit coat. She moved the foot on his neck to stomp on his face, ensuring he was out cold. She pointed the gun immediately at Busgang to get him to sit down. The scientist had pulled a gun from a drawer in his desk. Sarah shot the weapon with hers, and he cried out in pain as his weapon fell to the floor.

Busgang said, "I don't understand. Please don't shoot me. Based on what you said, I thought you're Federal agents. Duncan is CIA. I've been working with him on the Intersect. He's one of you."

Chuck said, "That man is not CIA. He's supposed to be dead. What's Fulcrum?"

The scientist showed no recognition. Sarah said, "I don't know, but whatever it is, they shouldn't know anything about the Intersect. My guess is Bryce is working for them."

Sarah restrained Duncan on the floor and Busgang in his chair. Then she called it in.

After completing the call, she said to Busgang, "While the United States doesn't have an official secrets act, it does have the Patriot Act. You've admitted to working with an enemy agent who was part of a group that may have been involved in a recent attack at a government facility. This Fulcrum organization is certainly a threat to the citizens of this country. We came here hoping for your help. Now my bosses will decide when and even if you will ever get any help yourself."

Busgang rapidly said in a voice laced with fear, "I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. I thought I was working for my country."

"You weren't. You were doing the typical scientist thing of seeing what _could_ be done without thinking of what _should_ be done. Your responsibility in the recent attack is for others to judge."

"If you need help, you should talk to Orion," Busgang meekly said.

"We would, but he's in the wind. Instead, we came to you. You are the third potential traitor we've found in the last day who worked on the Intersect. It seems like Orion did the right thing by getting away from all of you."

After an NSA security team showed up and took the prisoners. Sarah said to Chuck, "It doesn't look like we'll be able to get that thing out of your head anytime soon. We can start looking for Orion together, but that might take a while. Look on the bright side. I'm officially assigned to work with you for as long as this takes. We've had an eventful day. Let's go home. We don't have a meeting with Casey, Beckman, and Graham until tomorrow."

No one was at the apartment, and the medical doctors wouldn't be there for hours. Sarah was glad that Chuck had turned in his assistant manager application the day before and had taken a personal day so they could look for Perseus. That meant they had no other obligations for the entire afternoon. It wasn't rush hour, and Sarah was driving. She didn't take long to get them home to the empty apartment.

* * *

Songs:  
"Team" by Bon Iver  
"Apache" by the Shadows


	3. Frosty

_Posted August 8, 2019_

A/N: Crazzywallly told me a warning might be a good idea, like before the good rides at Disneyland. So... This story is classified as Romance/Adventure. There's a lot of romance here, because the romance didn't die after "I do." However, it's no longer about getting Sarah and Chuck together because _they're already married_. There's humor, because Chuck can't help but be a funny guy and Sarah is funnier than she thinks she is. The spy adventure keeps coming to Southern California because this story parallels the early parts of season 1, Chuck has the Intersect, and his wife/spy protector is right at his side. Consider yourselves "warned."

For those of you keeping track, it's art auction time.

* * *

_**October 5, 2007**_

Chuck sat back at the top of his bed, feeling a smile come to his face. At the end of each day, Sarah had been making a production of her entrances. The night before, he had fallen asleep in the car, crashing after his fear-induced adrenaline wore off. He didn't want to think about how Awesome carried him inside. Or Casey. That might be worse. Tonight's Sarah Bartowski show was his first chance in two days. He was sure most of his reactions made him look like a love-struck fool, but in a way he was. Maybe not the fool part, because Sarah always appreciated the reaction before she eagerly joined him.

Tonight's show was different, though. Sarah walked in wearing a winter parka. He didn't know that she could get one in Southern California, but then again, the CIA apparently could get anything. Sarah's face held stern expression. She removed the coat and put it over a stack of packed boxes, revealing black cotton pajamas with full sleeves and pants. She also wore heavy socks. It was a big change from her more common attire of lingerie, just one of Chuck's T-shirts, or nothing at all. Sarah took her side of the bed, but left two feet between her and her husband as she turned to her side, away from him. With the socks, she didn't need his feet to keep hers warm.

Chuck was very contrite, saying, "What did I do?"

"You almost died," Sarah flatly replied.

"That wasn't my fault. You saved me anyway, because you're amazing and can do anything. It wouldn't have gotten that far if I could have tangoed with La Ciudad."

"That's your excuse? You just needed to dance a seductive dance with another woman? That confirms I did the right thing by putting on these pajamas."

* * *

_**The day before**_

Sarah arranged her workspace in her new office. Chuck had stopped by during his break as her first "customer," not that she was going to have people come in off the street. He was welcome any time—others would do better to stay away. She gave him a welcome kiss and said, "Casey's going to use that door some, which means I'm not going to be kissing everyone who walks in. Make sure you come back a lot." They both smiled. "What brings you here this time?"

Chuck said, "I came to get help from a beautiful spy. For this mission tonight, we need to do some prep. I need you to teach me how to tango."

Sarah stared at Chuck with a cold expression. He was a little glad they were married and he had nothing to fear, because being at the other end of that look when there was a real threat was not a fate he'd wish on even his enemies. He had gotten used to her face lighting up whenever she saw him.

Chuck audibly gulped, and Sarah said, "I still don't agree with the idea of you going into the field. You're untrained and too important to risk that way. Too important as an intelligence resource and too important to me. At least I'm going to be there to protect you. You have to follow _all_ of my instructions. Got it?"

Chuck gave her a wide-eyed by nod.

Sarah asked, "Why do you think you need to know how to tango?"

"Casey told me at work. You know, he seems to be fitting in better at the Buy More, really getting into the cover job role. It helps that he's stopped pushing down other employees with a palm to the face. I think he's going to selling some of the bigger items, like grills, where having a tough guy as a salesman might help. I can see how his being at the Buy More might be good for mission-prep because we'll have a lot of chances to talk. For this mission, Casey said I'd be fine as long as I know how to tango."

Sarah let out a small smile. "He seeing if he could pull one over on you. Obviously he could. He actually might be less funny than I am. The only person you'd dance with on tonight's mission is me, and a tango would be very distracting. We'd spend the entire dance pretending to ignore each other, even though we would be paying very close attention to each other to know how to move. That's how a tango is supposed to be done. It means you are spending so much time faking ignoring your partner that you can't pay attention to the rest of the room. It's not good tactics for a spy. Just listen to me, and you'll be fine. No tango needed."

now, though. I can teach you sometime, maybe after we move into our new apartment in a few days. We can leave a dance area in the middle of the living room. If we are spending time grinding into each other, we'll want a bed nearby."

Chuck nodded very slowly. "Yes. Definitely. That. We need to do dance lessons. Yes. And the stuff after. Yes."

Sarah smiled as a truce and the two of them pecked each other on the lips. Then, her serious mask returned, and she started to give him a run-down of how to stay out of trouble on the mission. Most of it could be summarized as don't freak out and listen to her.

* * *

_**Back in bed the next night, where it was a good thing Sarah wore full pajamas because the temperature seemed to have dropped several degrees.**_

"There's something I'd like to know. Of course I think my wife is the best CIA agent there is, but that's was before knowing how good you actually are at the shooting, punching, and flying things. I've seen more now. The other day I saw you quickly dispatch a Fulcrum agent and take his gun. La Ciudad got in a lucky hit, but she's supposed to be the world's most dangerous arms dealer, and you beat her in hand-to-hand combat even though she's the type of person to kill people who just saw her face. I told Casey that you had told me that the tango thing was a joke. He got serious and actually apologized. I think he's a little scared of you, and he doesn't strike me as someone who gets scared. How good are you?"

Sarah didn't respond. Chuck looked over her turned back and saw a small smile breaking out.

After a few seconds, Chuck said, "Yeah, it's nice to know you not just outright saying you're the best because people who do that usually aren't that good. Until I see evidence to the contrary, I'll think of you as Ms Marvel."

"I don't know who that is, but it's Mrs, not Ms And it's Bartowski, not Marvel."

"Yes, ma'am, Mrs Bartowski, ma'am."

"That you agree to, but last night I told you to stay at the bar."

Chuck explained, "Casey left because we thought you were in trouble. It turns out it was some MI-6 agent who thought it would be a good idea to come into our country and point guns at people without knowing who they are. Who knew the MI-6 could be so much trouble? They're supposed to be our allies. Anyway, while I was minding my own business, I noticed the frame on that painting was different than what I had seen in the newspaper. I wandered over to take a look. There were a lot of people around, and I thought that would still be safe—safer than staying at the bar where I had already flashed on an old classmate who had been making his money on insider trading. I was worried he might blow my cover. I didn't know I would end up standing by the real La Ciudad. She noticed my interest in the painting. I explained that it would be too expensive for the decorating budget of the new apartment."

Sarah said, "Our budget is basically unlimited, as long as it's for something that is making us safer. If you were worried about a decorating budget, it didn't make much sense for you to be at the art auction. People buy those things as status symbols or investments, not for decorating."

"Good point, but I couldn't talk about our real budget, and I don't know why people buy things not painted by Bob Ross. If we ever go to Paris, we shouldn't waste time at the art museums, because he's about the limit of my art knowledge. That painting wouldn't be for safety, so we can't spend money on stuff like that anyway. I _now_ know I shouldn't have talked about my decorating budget. A tango started playing, which would have given me the opening to invite her to dance, providing enough time for you and Casey to return and save me. Instead, she got suspicious and took me away with her goons."

"You were wearing a wedding ring. Why would you ask her to dance?"

"I don't know. Maybe she wouldn't care about dancing with another woman's husband. When I later told her I worked at the Buy More, she didn't believe me at first, so maybe she wouldn't believe I was really married. It's sometimes hard for me to believe I married someone as wonderful as you. You and I haven't gone dancing, though. I haven't asked anyone to dance since college. I don't know how this is supposed to work. Maybe it's polite to ask an unaccompanied women who are standing without a dance partner. I wouldn't want to be rude."

Sarah still talked away from Chuck. "It works by you not asking strange women to dance."

"I didn't."

"Because you didn't know how to tango. And if our bosses ever decide to send you on a mission again, please don't tell people we run into you work at the Buy More."

"It's all hypothetical anyway. If something like that happens again, I won't ask anyone but you to dance. It didn't seem safe at the bar, but I'll just stay with you. I'm exclusively your arm candy, or whatever you want me to be. You're the one who keeps saying I'm sweet, and candy is sweet. I'm not implying I'm something that you can show off. Do you realize Casey said I did a good job, because I both survived and identified La Ciudad?"

"Was that before or after we knew you left your Buy More ID with the woman who wanted to kill you?"

"Uhhh...'

"Why didn't you tell me it was missing?"

"You know I fell asleep last night. Then this morning, I was distracted with a beautiful blonde woman in my bed. I noticed the badge was missing later in the morning, but everyone was telling me I did a great job by simply surviving, so that didn't seem important in the grand scheme, compared to saving the world. I figured I'd report it lost. Buy More corporate can handle things like that. A lot of people who work there are far more irresponsible all of the time."

"Next time, don't take things that say who you really are on a mission. Things like your wallet."

"Next time? You're going to let me go on a mission again? I'd like to get out of the doghouse someday—not that I want to go on a bunch of missions, but I hope to get out someday so I can move in with the person I love at the apartment across the courtyard next week. I've heard the construction crews are almost done making it extra safe."

Sarah said with a bit of fake uncertainty, "I guess you can get out. You know, this isn't just punishing you. I prefer my Chuck-shaped pillow. This hurts me too."

"Ok. I get it. You know making it so I am hurting you is worse. Enough of that. We'll get through this Intersect mess, and then you can go back to your exciting life of traveling the world to save it."

Sarah turned and met Chuck's eyes to make sure he'd understand. "That's not it. This entire situation is really hard. Meeting you was the best thing to happen to me in my life, but that was made possible by an egotistical traitor. I won't say we both hate him, because your too nice for that, but if we see him again, it will be too soon. I've never been so scared now that your life is in danger because of that thing in your head. However, as long as it's in your head, I get to stay by your side, which is a lot better than any place else. I don't want to go away from you."

Chuck said, "And I love being with you. Whatever happens, I know I can count on you. I'll get better at this spying thing. I'll learn how to stay out of trouble on these missions.

"The important thing _is_ that you survived. Keep doing that. I would gladly beat down any person that throws sharp things at you, even if it means I get a split lip. Speaking of which, I think I deserve a massage of my injury."

"I thought it was just a lip. Is your back or neck sore, too?"

"No. I mean my lip."

"Your lip?"

Sarah confirmed that's what she meant by shuffling under the covers, quickly removing her pajamas, turning in bed, and starting to remove what Chuck was wearing. "It a really good thing you survived, so we can keep doing this." She met his lips before resuming her work.

He started to help speed things along, and they spent one of their last nights together in that apartment celebrating with one of the reasons they were glad they were both alive. Sarah didn't let her "war wound" from the arms dealer's lucky punch slow her down.

* * *

A/N: Bar rhymes with car, so Chuck doesn't get that either.

Songs:  
"Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles (I just discovered there's a Simon and Garfunkel one that came out before I was born, as opposed to when I was in high school. I mention it because Paul Simon deserves writing credit.)  
"Por Una Cabeza" by Carlos Gardel, used in _True Lies_, _Scent of a Woman_, and _Schindler's List_


	4. Cherry Bomb

_Posted August 10, 2019_

A/N: Just because Sarah got married doesn't mean she lost all her friends.

* * *

_**October 15, 2007**_

In her grey knit bathrobe, Sarah turned on the shower. She still couldn't believe the CIA had gone for the rain shower idea when they made their additions. It was glorious. It made her always want to take a shower. This time, the shower had a purpose. A few minutes before, she had left Chuck at his sister's after a night of board games. He said he'd be along in a minute, that Ellie and he were going to have a brother-sister talk. It was even money, though, whether he'd come alone or whether Morgan would come with him. Morgan had injected himself into the couple's game, so she wouldn't be surprised if he invited himself over before he headed home on his bike. If Chuck heard the shower running, he'd probably get the hint that he was invited to join her, meaning Morgan would be quickly sent on his way, even if the bearded friend didn't catch the clue. She would encourage a video game night or something for the guys, later this week. There were limits, though. She had already vetoed Morgan's idea of the _Saw IV_ premiere next week, after Chuck privately told her he was too scared of the Saw movies. Apparently her protector job extended to providing a viable excuse to get out of horror movies without admitting the truth to a best friend. That night, after a full night of group fun, she wanted Chuck all to herself.

Sarah saw a reflection in the shower handle. Someone dressed all in black was in her home. _Only a week, and people were already breaking in! Time to stop that._ She slipped a bar of soap into a black sock that was hanging to dry nearby, making a long weapon that could stretch and could be flung, with heavy bludgeoning end. She swung it in a circle over her head and went on the attack.

Sarah's first swing missed, but she circled the momentum in reverse, hitting the intruder solidly in the back. She followed with a figure-eight to build up leverage before another two quick hits. The person in black was a woman, grunting at the multiple strikes. Sarah pulled the long elastic of the sock between her hands to block two punches. Sarah wondered...but she didn't have time to think about that idea. She wrapped her sock weapon around the tall female assailant's arm to restrain it before kneeing her opponent in the gut. Then using the wrapped arm, she yanked her opponent across the room. She shoved her hard into the wall by pulling with her hands over the shoulder clad in black.

With the intruder reeling in the bathroom, Sarah hurried to the main room where she could get to the gun safe under the couch. She didn't have time, though, and she was pushed across the back of the couch, knocking over the table with Star Wars helmets from Chuck's old ComicCon costumes. She stood up and threw one of the helmets at her opponent, nailing her in the head.

Sarah was pretty sure the black one was a Darth Vader helmet. The white one was a stormtrooper helmet. She never understood why he dressed as one of the bad guys. They all lost in the movies, and Chuck was a good guy. Morgan once told her that Chuck as Han and he was Chewie because of the facial hair. That made her Leia and made Bryce Fett.

At that moment, the front door opened. The woman in black turned her attention to the new arrival. Sarah stepped it up a notch to defend her husband. Before the threat could reach him, Sarah had jumped on the woman's back, bringing her to the ground. Sarah flipped the woman so she landed on her front, spread across the room. Sarah didn't hesitant to kick the woman on the floor on the head, knocking her out.

"Um, Sarah. What is going on?"

Sarah saw her husband was alone, then took the hood off the person she had defeated. She was right. It was Canria—Carina Miller, Carina Hansen, or whatever she was going by at the moment.

"Shut the door, Chuck. We have to tie up my old friend who didn't know to call first."

A few minutes later, Carina was restrained in a dining room chair, both legs zip-tied to chair legs and her arms zip-tied behind her. Sarah was back in her clothes from the evening, and she tossed a glass of water in her prisoner's face.

The red head become alert again was a gasp. "Really?"

Sarah said, "You attacked me in my home. Then you moved to attack my husband. If I didn't like you, you wouldn't be breathing."

Chuck was in another chair to the side of the room, sitting on both hands, and keeping his mouth shut. He had a million questions, but he wasn't familiar with this one of his wife's mood. While he hadn't had to deal with it before, he could tell that he should stay out of the line of fire.

Carina said, "You need to relax. Wait. Did you say husband?"

"Yes, I did. I'm Sarah Bartowski now, and I don't take kindly to people who threaten my Chuck."

"I didn't lay a finger on him—_your_ Chuck."

"You had just attacked me and moved to attack him. That's close enough in my book. The CIA isn't going to be happy that they have to fix the drywall and replace the table. We moved in just a few days ago, after they finished their additions. How did you get in?" Sarah looked at her new iPhone. It showed an alert she hadn't seen because she was getting into the shower.

Carina said, "I presume this guy knows about the whole cover-marriage thing."

"It's not a cover. I've been Sarah Bartowski for five weeks. We were married a week before it became my official job to make sure no one harms him. Yes, I was doing my job when I tied you up. I would have done anything to protect him before. Now, I get told by the higher-ups that I did a great job whenever I eliminate any potential threats."

"You're saying tall, dark, and curly is one of us?"

"He's an analyst—a field analyst of sorts—a really good one. Did you hear about that bombing at that LA hotel that was hosting a NATO conference a few weeks ago?"

Carina wrinkled her brow. "No. I sometimes miss things when I'm undercover out of the country, but I would think that's the kind of thing I would have heard about."

"You didn't hear about it because of Chuck. He prevented it from happening. Since then, we've rounded up several traitors. That was just the first month." She turned to Chuck and blew him a kiss. Chuck knew enough to remain quiet, but his face glowed.

"Call me impressed. I didn't know the CIA worked in the US, though."

"Chuck is important enough that we have a new cross-agency team which includes an NSA agent."

"Quite a gig you have here. I saw the highlights from your couples game across the courtyard. I thought this place was yawn-ville. It's nice to know you haven't become June Cleaver, without the cleaver. Although, I never thought you'd be the type of person to be fake-married for protection duty."

"I told you._ It's not a cover._ It's not fake. Before I met Chuck a few months ago, marriage was the last thing on my mind. A couple months after meeting him, before he was helping to save the world, I proposed to him. We were married in Las Vegas five hours later."

"Oh, that explains it. Vegas. That doesn't count."

"Marriages in Vegas are real, too," Sarah said with certainty.

Carina wrinkled her brow in confusion. "Really? They are? I didn't know that. And I thought it was the perfect place for my next cover marriage."

"Chuck and I are _very_ married."

"Did he knock you up or something?"

"No. I had my last DMPA shot in August. We 'practice' a lot, though. In fact, that's what I thought we were about to do when I noticed you in a reflection. This night has turned out worse than I expected because I had high hopes of a great ending to a fun evening." Sarah glanced at Chuck and saw him turn beat red.

Sarah continued, "We were over at Chuck's sister's. The others who were there don't know what we do for the CIA and NSA. You could have broken our cover. Speaking of which… Chuck, how did you manage to get rid of Morgan? I half expected him to follow you back here, which would have meant he would have seen me throw Carina across the room."

Carina opened her mouth to protest that it was a more even match, but realized she didn't have a strong argument considering she was knocked out and tied up at the end.

Chuck said, "Ellie was trying to push him out the door with me, but Devon stopped him and was going to teach him some sort of 'how to be awesome' lesson. I assume I got out of it because I married you, so I get some awesomeness by osmosis."

"You don't need lessons. You're awesome in all the right ways for me." Sarah punctuated that with a smacking kiss on his lips. Carina groaned.

There was a knock at the door. It was Morgan. He called through the door, "It's me, buddy. Ellie kicked me out. I really need to get a 'Morgan door' over here."

Sarah harshly whispered, "Quick. Morgan is Chuck's best friend, and he's a civilian." She pulled out a knife and cut Carina loose. Chuck slowly went to the door, purposely giving them a few seconds. By the time he opened the door, the furniture was back in place and the women were sitting casually on the couch.

When Chuck opened the door, Morgan said, "I just wanted to tell Mr Walker and Mrs Bartowski goodnight." He stopped in his tracks when he spotted the woman with the long red hair that he didn't know.

Chuck said, "Morgan, this is Sarah's friend, Carina. She was in town and stopped by to say hi."

Morgan went over and took Carina's hand. "Madam Carina." He didn't seem to notice her black attire. Her face hadn't turned purple, yet, and she had managed to dry how Sarah had woken her up.

"Nice to meet you, Martin," Carina said with a flirty smile.

"The pleasure is all mine." Morgan was trying to sound smooth, but it sounded like he was trying too hard.

Chuck stepped in and said, "Thanks for stopping by, Morgan. It's late, and you have to head home, so you probably should go." He grabbed his friend by both shoulders and steered him to the door. Sarah gave Morgan a little wave and a smile.

Chuck walked Morgan out to his bike and came back in a minute. He said, "He didn't suspect a thing, however he did suggest maybe we all could, I guess you could say, have a double date tomorrow night. Feel free to say no. By that I mean, say no."

Sarah point a finger and said, "Actually, that's a great idea! It could help with the cover. Carina, you almost blew that cover earlier. We need you to help make it stronger now."

Carina said, "Sure, that could be fun."

Chuck stood there, surprised. "Ok. How's this supposed to work?"

Sarah said, "Carina can go to the Buy More tomorrow, to set it up. Tomorrow night we could watch a movie here."

Chuck tried to smile and said, "I guess that could work. Ellie would appreciate his attention being elsewhere."

To Carina, Sarah said, "What brings a DEA agent here?"

"I have a mission, heard you're in the area, and thought you could help. I'm getting a diamond like you."

Sarah said, "I assume this is for a cover marriage."

"It's not that kind of diamond. It's bigger than yours."

Chuck said, "Um, well, we got married so suddenly, I didn't have the chance to get Sarah an engagement ring."

Sarah said, "That's ok. We're wearing the more important rings. We didn't have time to make another stop on the way to the chapel."

Chuck countered, "I don't know. You might have been going fast enough."

"I don't follow," Carina said.

"If her car had wings, we were going fast enough to get airborne. I don't know the land speed record from LA to Vegas, but we had to be close."

Sarah said, "It was mostly open freeway, easier than our escape in Pakistan."

"Ah, that was fun. About this diamond, can you help?"

"Maybe," Sarah answered. "But if I help, my team does too, both Chuck and Casey."

"Casey? John Casey?"

"You know him?"

"Our paths cross once in Prague."

"Prague? I think you told me about a mission you did there. Is he the guy?"

"Yes, that was him."

Sarah laughed, "Ok. We'll need to run it by our bosses tomorrow morning from Casey's place. He has another apartment just across the courtyard. Chuck and my guest room is a workout room. I guess you could have the couch. That is, unless you want to see if Casey has a place for you."

Carina smirked, "That's ok. They put me up in an apartment at a local hotel. I should be going. Chuck, it's been nice meeting the person that finally captured Sarah Walker. Sarah, the next time you get married, I expect an invite."

Sarah gave her a goodbye hug at the door. "There won't be a next time. Some people get lucky with the first marriage. I know this one is lasting, no matter what happens. Even if my brain is swapped out."

"What?"

"It's a nerd thing. It's rubbing off."

"Oh no. I thought you were doing another kind of rubbing."

"There's more of that, but my Chuck is a big nerd, and I think it's cute. I'm still learning all of this stuff, but some of these crazy things keep popping in my head. It means I understand him more, and there is nothing wrong with that."

Carina gave her friend another hug. "Whatever. See you tomorrow."

* * *

The next evening was enlightening. Morgan was mesmerized. Chuck hoped his friend didn't fall too hard, too fast for Carina. Spy seduction skills appear powerful. Chuck still wasn't sure how much Sarah had seduced him that first weekend in July, but it wasn't a mission, and she didn't really have to try. In the end it didn't matter because they both fell hopelessly in love with each other. One movie date night with Carina resulted in Morgan wrapped around her finger. Carina wasn't hooked herself like Sarah was. Morgan heart didn't have a chance.

Later that night, after Morgan and Carina left, Chuck was the Nerd Herder on-call. His first support call led him to a hotel. Chuck knocked on the door to room 903.

The door was opened by a tall red-head in a short silk robe.

Chuck smiled and said uneasily, "You called for a computer support… Carina?"

"Come on in Chuckie," Carina said with a seductive smile.

Before he walked from the hallway through the door, Sarah stepped from the side to stand behind him, facing the other spy in the hotel room with a look that showed she was not amused. Carina's smile dropped. She stepped aside and let both Bartowskis into the room.

Fully in the hotel room, Chuck said, "Where's your computer?"

Sarah answered for her. "She doesn't have one. On missions, I never travel with one. Any specialized computer would be a security risk because it could fall in the wrong hands. We need to remain mobile." She leveled a serious stare at the DEA agent.

Carina said, "Can't you let Chuck out of your sight for a minute? Don't you trust him?"

Sarah said, "We sleep in the same bed. When you woke him with your call, you woke _me_. Chuck told me where he was going, and it was pretty clear to me who was unnecessarily taking away my favorite pillow."

"You sure got over Larkin fast."

Chuck asked Sarah, "She knows Bryce?"

Carina followed with her own question. "He knows your ex-boyfriend?"

Sarah let out a deep breath. She finally said, "Yes. Bryce was Chuck's college roommate. Chuck and I met because Bryce was doing this big proposal thing and invited Chuck, presumably to be his best man."

"Oh. There's only one reason for a spy couple to get married. At least you avoided that because from what you've told me, he wasn't a good partner, leaving most of the hard stuff for you."

"It's worse than that. I got out of the mess just in time. This isn't widely known, but since Bryce knows of you through me, you need to be prepared. Last month, he blew up a government facility on a rogue mission. He tried to frame Chuck as an accomplice. We thought Bryce was dead, but he escaped and we don't know where he is. If you hear word of him, let us know and get back-up. He's wanted as a traitor."

Carina's eyes were completely wide. That story was not what she expected.

Chuck ended the awkward silence by asking Sarah, "Was this really supposed to be a seduction attempt? I thought you just wanted to provide protection. Carina, you're modelesque, but I'm married to the most beautiful woman on the planet. I love her, and she loves me. Do you think I'm insane?"

"I get it. You two are attached at the hip," Carina said.

Sarah mumbled, "I wish."

"What was that?" Carina asked.

"That would be easier." She quietly added under her breath, "In more ways than one."

"Ok. Ok. You two are still in some kind of honeymoon phase, and Chuck ruined you."

"Quite the opposite," Sarah said. "I'm not 'ruined.' I've never been better. Chuck and I are leaving. Please don't wake me again for fake tech support. You might be keeping him away from someone who really needs him. Regular people need help with their computers, too."

Chuck said, "Carina. It'd been a pleasure, again."

Sarah corrected him, "No it wasn't a pleasure at all. Carina, like I said earlier, stop messing with Morgan. He's my friend, too. Considering the sleep I lost for this excursion, I like him more than you right now. We'll see you before the mission tomorrow. Let's go, Chuck." Sarah locked her arm through his and pulled him out the door.

* * *

"Not again," Carina said as she was smacked in the head with a flying space helmet. She fell down on the living room floor of the Bartowski apartment, and Sarah pulled off her black hood. At least this time she hadn't been completely knocked out.

"Boba Fett work as well as Darth Vader," Sarah said quietly to herself. She had checked with Chuck which helmet was which during breakfast. It turns out he had the helmets as collectibles, not from old costumes. She hadn't decided if that was better or worse.

To the DEA agent on the floor, she harshly whispered, "What are you doing here, Carina? You might think you're sneaky, but this time I saw the silent alarm before you opened the door. That's why I hit you the instant you were inside the apartment. I know what you did earlier. Morgan is wallowing back in the bedroom, and Chuck just called my cell from Casey's to say Casey had broken his headboard in half to free himself. Chuck was asking me if he should offer to help or flee. I expect him here any minute."

"I came for my diamond. It's my mission."

"Your need for bling inspired you to handcuff an NSA agent to his headboard and steal something that was already in Federal custody? Then why would you leave the diamond with a civilian—"

"I saw Chuck's sister come out of her apartment, and Morgan was there. I thought you might have been in the sister's apartment with her, so I needed to get rid of it."

"You kissed Morgan in the middle of the courtyard in front of Ellie. She's going to be so disappointed when you leave after getting her hopes up."

Chuck entered to find the two spies sitting on the floor.

"Ok. Whatever happened here, I'm staying out of it. I would like to point out that a very angry NSA assassin is just a few feet away on the other side of that door, so Carina, it might be a good idea to be careful when you leave."

"She left the diamond with Morgan," Sarah said.

"The weapons diamond?" Chuck asked in clarification.

"What weapons diamond?" Carina asked. "I thought it was a drug diamond."

Sarah explained, "Chuck identified the diamond when we brought it back to Casey's place earlier today. We gave our report to our bosses, and the DEA no longer wants it because it's become a national security issue that is not drug related."

"Wow, Walker, you must really want a diamond, so you're taking mine."

"It's Bartowski. And I already have diamonds." Sarah pulled the large Nadan-I-Noor diamond from her pocket and held it up. "This one and the one I married. Chuck, could you check on Morgan. I found this in Morgan's bag. Carina hid it there when she distracted him with a kiss, _which Ellie saw_. Morgan was pretty upset because Carina is leaving town, and I was getting him a grape soda when we had a break-in, again."

Chuck left to talk to his friend, leaving the spies alone.

Sarah and Carina both stood up and started to the door.

Carina asked, "What's happening with the diamond now?"

"Casey has a courier coming to his place in about an hour. Chuck suggested FedEx, but the NSA wants to use their own people, even though we've been dealing with traitors in the ranks, like Bryce and government researchers. Casey trusts their security protocol. It'll be fine."

"So that means you'll be diamond-less again. Sorry, you'll still have the guy you call a diamond, but you won't have a diamond rock any more."

Chuck came out into the hall and said, "That's not the case."

Sarah turned in surprise, "Chuck, why aren't you back with Morgan?"

"He fell asleep, probably from a lack of caffeine. He'll be fine by himself. I'm here to give you this."

Chuck got down on one knee and held out a red box that was open to reveal a diamond ring.

Sarah hands covered her mouth, but that didn't hide her surprise or joy.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Wait it doesn't matter, I'm already married to you. I'm already excited I get to spend the rest of my life with the man I love. I thought the same thing this morning. But I'm taking this anyway." She took out the diamond ring and immediately put it on her finger to go with her wedding ring. She pulled him up into a passionate kiss. Carina didn't groan. Quite the opposite. She did her best to hold in tears.

After Sarah peppered Chuck with several more kisses, she pulled back. "How can you afford this on a Buy More salary? The CIA doesn't want it's people in debt. I haven't had time to put your name on my accounts that I have under aliases, and that's where I have most of…what is now _our_ money."

"My first CIA paycheck came. Then last night I asked Ellie about floating me some extra money. It turns out she was never comfortable with the idea of her brother paying rent to live with her, so she had been holding five years of my monthly rent payments in a special account. She gave it back. The ring is completely paid off."

Sarah kissed Chuck again, because she couldn't stop, but she paused to say, "I'll let Devon know if he needs a loan when it's his turn—"

"I overheard him talking to his parents about getting his grandmother's ring to give Ellie. I think we inspired him to move up his timetable."

Still holding tightly to Chuck, Sarah turned and said to Carina, "With everyone in this apartment complex getting married, you should know Casey is off limits for you. Morgan wouldn't understand and for all practical purposes, he's family."

Carina scoffed, "Don't worry. I'm not looking to become part of the next spy power couple."

Chuck kissed Sarah again and said, "I better wake up my bearded friend. I have a feeling it might be a good idea to clear him out of here so we can have this place to ourselves when you two are done here."

"Yes. Please do that," Sarah said, and she lightly swatted Chuck's rear as he left.

Carina apologized, "I'm sorry. I now understand with the Larkin thing and the new marriage, you and your team are worrying about bigger things and don't need any missions like mine as a distraction."

"Don't worry about it. You're important to me. I liked seeing you—better when you aren't breaking in. It's always an adventure. It's nice having a friend who knows what I really do know the most important thing that has ever happened to me. Carina, you and I both owe each other so many, there's no point in keeping track. Friends don't keep score. Morgan, or Martin as you call him, explained to me that because I'm married to Chuck and he's Chuck's friend, he's my friend too. By that logic, you're Chuck's friend too. The next time you're in town, try to remember that. You mess with one of us, you mess with both of us. And remember it'll be a lot easier for everyone if you call first."

Carina said she understood and said something in Swedish. Sarah replied in Polish. They hugged and parted ways.

* * *

A/N: The Carina whirlwind makes everyone need to catch their breath before indulging in big shrimp and enjoying fake holidays.

Songs:  
"Cherry Bomb" by the Runaways (used in _The Guardians of the Galaxy_) or "Cherry Bomb" by John Cougar Mellencamp. Your choice.  
"Diamonds Are Forever" performed by Shirley Bassey


	5. White Nights

_Posted August 16, 2019_

A/N: Like the show, there are no illegal fireworks exploding in this one, and a "Night of Morgan" still doesn't survive with just one asterisk. When do things ever go as planned when the Intersect is around?

* * *

_**October 23, 2007**_

Chuck and Sarah left Casey's apartment, leaving behind the NSA agent with the MSS agent after their evening planning session to rescue the Chinese diplomat from the Triad. Sarah and Chuck held hands walking across the courtyard. Chuck expected a "this is how a spy should act" lecture from Sarah when they returned home. He hoped Mei-Ling Cho left shortly after them. Nothing against Casey, but he wouldn't wish the super-patriot exposure on her because she seemed pretty nice when she wasn't pointing a gun at him.

It all started innocently enough with a "Night of Morgan" the night before with the Bartowskis and Morgan going to the Bamboo Dragon. Sarah later told Chuck that she had heard of _Enter the Dragon_, but she had never actually seen it. She just knew of _Game of Death_ with Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris (aka Walker, Texas Ranger—no relation), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The special plans for the night had to be aborted because of a flash. Fireworks were avoided, but the movie and sizzling shrimp were put on hold.

The next night, Chuck participated in his first stake-out, which led to a stern "talking to" for ordering a delivery to their stake-out van and for getting out of the car. Sarah still slept close enough for Chuck to keep her feet warm, but Chuck felt bad the whole night because he had upset her.

Chuck felt like he had made up for the whole thing with his defection plan. When working on the details of the plan to rescue Lee Cho at Casey's, Chuck stuck his foot in his mouth about getting home in time for dinner. Mei-Ling didn't understand, Casey was annoyed, and Sarah didn't stick up for him. Chuck expected her to blow when they got home. Once again, he was showing his spying naïvety. At least the professional spies still wanted him on the mission for tech assistance.

Chuck decided to start apologizing before the traveled the few feet to their front door. "I'm sorry about the whole thing about dinner at Ellie's. I know saving Mei-Ling's brother is more important, and we can't plan exactly when we get finished. I'm going on a mission again, but I promise I'll stay in the car." He stopped when he saw where Sarah had led them—their old apartment. "Why are we here?"

Sarah didn't answer. She knocked on Ellie's door. Sarah had led them the other way around the fountain to end up at Ellie's apartment instead of their own door.

Ellie happily opened the door and said, "How are my favorite two people?"

Chuck was too confused to say anything, but Sarah answered, "Bad news, Ellie. I have this work thing. Chuck's keeping me company because I'll be out late, so we should probably cancel on Mother's Day."

Ellie accepted the news, but wasn't upset. "We don't need to cancel. Mother's Day was Chuck's and my holiday. Since your mom is out of the picture and we're all taking care of each other now, it's your holiday too. We'll just postpone it a day." Ellie gave Sarah a questioning look. "Will you feel better by then?"

"What?"

"Chuck told me. He left the sizzling shrimp here because of your spastic colon."

"He said that, did he?" Sarah looked over at Chuck. He was squirming. She looked back to Ellie. "I was fine. I had an emergency work thing—related to what I'm doing tomorrow night. I don't know why the shrimp didn't end up in our refrigerator. Your fridge is bigger than ours, but we normally have more space. I'm sorry about that. I caught Chuck at Casey's before we came here tonight. I'll make sure you get your dip plate back by tomorrow. The guacamole dip was really good."

"That's ok. I can get the dish whenever. I'm glad you liked it." Ellie swatted the arm of her brother and gave Sarah a hug. "You're family, and we take care of each other. You definitely need to be with us for Mother's Day. We'll get together for dinner the next night."

"Thank you for being so understanding, Ellie." Sarah let go of the hug, said goodnight, and pulled Chuck back to their apartment.

Inside their home, Chuck needed to preempt any question of his lame medical condition cover story. He really shouldn't have suggested something like that, something which wasn't true, to a doctor. He asked Sarah, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I must have sounded like such a fool over at Casey's."

She said, "I probably should've said something back then. I didn't think it was any of their business why I was going to the Bartowski Mother's Day celebration, Casey doesn't know anything about my mom. Even the CIA doesn't know anything about her. I don't want to go there. It's a family thing. Tomorrow, we'll save Mei-Lang's family, and the next night, we celebrate our family."

Chuck and Sarah shared a long kiss. After a few moments, they pulled back from their embrace and Chuck asked, "Are you really ok with this whole 'made-up holiday' thing? You didn't seem to be too enthused about Sweetest Day a couple days ago."

"We don't need to have special celebrations on Hallmark Holidays. We have enough days to celebrate on our own. There's the day I met you, the day that I surprised you at the Buy More, the day you held me as we slept in our home together for the first time, the day we moved into our new home, and every other day we're married."

"Yeah, that's a lot of days."

"_Every_ day I get to spend with you is sweetest day," Sarah said.

"I'm on board with that. How about Valentine's Day? It's for St. Valentine, who died in the third century. Hallmark didn't make up that one."

"We don't need to do anything special for a day celebrating someone who was martyred. As long as we are together, that's good enough for me."

"Understood. What about me going on this mission tomorrow?"

"Just stay in the car, and we'll be fine. Today, you're with me, which makes this as good as Valentine's Day, in my book. Let's go to bed early and celebrate.

* * *

**_Three nights later_**

"That didn't work," Sarah said.

Chuck squeezed Sarah tighter to his side in a half-hug. She snuggled with him on the sofa as the movie credits scrolled on the TV screen. She gave Chuck a kiss on the neck, then extracted herself and took their empty glasses to the kitchen.

Chuck said, "It sounds like _White Nights_ isn't your thing."

"No it isn't. Why is that one of your favorite movies? There are no superheroes or space battles."

"I never said it was one of my _favorite_ movies. I haven't seen it in about twenty years."

"We based our entire mission on a movie that you don't even like? You own this one, though." Sarah finished in the kitchen and walked back to talk to Chuck.

"I bought it at the store today because we planned to watch it tonight. I don't _dis_like it."

"It didn't even apply to the situation. No one was kidnapped in the movie. There were two defections of civilians to different countries. It wasn't the same. There has to a better defection movie." Sarah started down the hallway, starting to get out of her clothes even as she was still in the hall. She continued into their bedroom.

Chuck called into the other room, "I don't know. _Moscow on the Hudson_?"

Sarah called back. "Is that about a spy who defects?"

"No. I don't remember much about it. It has Robin Williams. You know. _Mrs. Doubtfire_, _Good Morning: Vietnam_, _Alladin_, _Mork_." Chuck started up, wondering if there was an implicit invite to join her.

"Of course I know who he is. I didn't grow up on another planet. He was a weird alien in that last one, though, wasn't he? That's probably why you know him." Sarah returned to the room, pulling on one of Chuck's T-shirts over her boy shorts.

Now Chuck wasn't sure. They'd end up sleeping in bed together anyway, so maybe he should stop talking so they'd get there faster. Or maybe he should play along. She once told him she thought he was cute when he rambled. "No I don't him because he was Mork from Ork. We were too young when that show was on the air. He's been in a lot of stuff. This past summer, he was in _August Rush_, He was also in _Good Will Hunting_. That movie came when we were seniors in High School, and the movie was set in Boston and MIT. However, you went to Harvard. I don't know if MIT is considered an anti-Harvard since it's for engineers, so maybe that school was a rival and not liked by Harvard students. I think Minnie Driver's character in it went to Harvard, though."

"I don't know it. I was recruited into the CIA that year. Between cons and spy-training, I really didn't pay attention to what movies were popular. The Hong Kong UK-China hand-off and tensions in Serbia were the big deals back then. Why did you think this movie was a good plan for saving Mei-Lin's brother?"

"It was just about defecting. I didn't know how defection is supposed to work when I suggested it. Since you like ballerinas, I thought you might know about this movie. It's a Cold War-era movie, which is in Casey's wheelhouse."

"I knew about Baryshnikov. Some of this stuff everyone knows—even those of us who are lacking in the pop culture background. He was a ballet dancer not a ballerina." Sarah took her initial position, pressed into Chuck side. The only differences from when they watched the movie was she was ready for bed and the TV was off.

"Helen Mirren was a former ballerina," Chuck said.

"You weren't there to help her because her dad didn't know how to use a camcorder. She's not very tall either. The connection is really thin."

Chuck figured he needed to get ready for bed too, so he reluctantly stood up and parted from his entire life, meaning he parted from his wife who was wearing his "My Entire Life" T-shirt. "What did you mean your plan didn't work?"

Sarah followed Chuck to their bedroom to answer. "You didn't follow instructions on the mission and got out of the car. That calls for some kind of punishment. After the La Ciudad mission, the warm pajamas thing didn't work. It wasn't just punishing you. It was punishing me as well. Last night was a special holiday which made me feel more a part of the family, and then I wanted to reward you for saving my life during the rescue. I thought I could save the punishment for tonight. We'd watch this movie and go straight to bed. I'd still get to snuggle with you during the movie and when we went to sleep, so it wouldn't be unfair to me. However, I didn't factor in that I'd have to sit through a completely irrelevant movie that made the spy part of me cringe. Next time, you can watch the movie with Casey."

"That's mean."

"Heads up. He wouldn't snuggle. If the movie was full of dancing and had no weapons fire, he'd complain the whole time. That sounds like an appropriate punishment as long as I get to sleep by you afterwards."

"That sounds awful...the movie watching part. The threat is bad enough. I've completely learned my lesson. Next time, when I get out of the car to save you, I expect to be badly punished on the second night. We both know I'm going to try to save you anyway, so the best thing you can do is not get captured again. Please no Casey, though. If it gets that far, I'll buy him a WWII documentary set or something. Then he might not kill me, something that would be too harsh for both you and me."

"Ok. Now hurry up. I'm ready for bed, and I want my pillow."

"Yes ma'am." Chuck changed out of his jeans. He couldn't finish changing in a hurry, though, because he didn't hold off the attack of the scantily clad blonde that came at him from behind. He didn't try too hard. It was never his goal to stop the leggy super-spy who was hanging all over him so he could finish getting ready for sleep.

* * *

A/N: As if Team Chuck would really blackmail Mei-Ling into defecting to save her brother. After they (accidentally) abetted the Triad to help them continue to hold their kidnap victim, the good guys would want to help anyway. Making a communist spy defect is cleaner from the storytelling standpoint to get the spy protectors to cooperate. At the time Casey was still often portrayed as someone who would kill Chuck, and Sarah still didn't understand Chuck's view of family. However, if you want to see a case in which Mei-Ling is not being forced into defecting, try WillieGarvin's "Chuck vs A New Day." Or just read that story anyway. You won't regret it.

Songs:  
_Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story_ main theme by Randy Edelman  
"Separate Lives" by Phil Collins (from _White Nights_)


	6. Carmichael, Sarah Carmichael

Posted August 19, 2019

A/N: Why would Sarah Bartowski allow a bug in her bedroom or want a fake picture to remind her that Chuck didn't take her to Comic-Con a couple weeks after she met him? She was off on a mission, but wouldn't want to memorialize it.

* * *

**October 30, 2007**

"Hey, Chuck," Sarah happily answered her cellphone.

"Sarah, please don't get mad," Chuck whispered into his cellphone.

"Are you meeting me at work late so we'll have a late dinner?"

"No, that's not it."

"Are you going to not eat because you've already had dinner at IHOP?"

"What? How do you know where I am?"

"Chuck, I'm right outside in the parking lot. I was staying at work late like I normally do when you are coming over to review the dailies, but I decided to offer you a ride to dinner, figuring we'd check the new reports later see if you flashed on anything. However, when I was out in the parking lot in front of my office, I saw you fight off an attack from a guy in a Halloween costume. I assume it wasn't a real gun."

"Water pistol."

"You were lucky. I was too far away for a throwing knife or even my gun. If I had a rifle, the guy, Laszlo I assume, would be dead."

"Yes. That would've been messy."

"Do you need me to come in and subdue him? Or if you insist, I could wait for backup. Casey is three minutes out. Where exactly are you?"

"The restroom. I drank two refills so it would be more believable when I got up to go here."

"You're taking what I told you too seriously—the part about incorporating real life details into cover stories. You don't have to do something like that, creating a real life detail, in order to make a cover story more believable. You're going to have to leave in a minute, because otherwise it'll be weird."

"In a couple minutes. I do actually have to go."

"Ok. Hurry. After you pay the bill, we'll apprehend Laszlo in the parking lot."

"Sounds good. See you soon."

Sarah heard a flushing sound.

"You can take me someplace and watch me eat after we process Laszlo. But please tell me you're going to wash her hands."

The sink came on. "Of course. That was the automatic flusher."

"Is this your way of saying you disagree with my rule of shutting the bathroom door?"

"No. Not at all. I just really needed to go, and I didn't want to hide the fact that I once again ran into this guy, so I didn't wait to call."

"At least you're washing your hands. Thank you, and I love you."

"I know."

"Really, a Star Wars reference? Please don't fall into a carbonite freezing chamber on your way out. When you leave the restaurant, make sure you get clear when we move in."

"Just when I think it isn't possible, you get a reference like that, making me love you even more. I'm so happy we did that Star Wars marathon last weekend. Bye bye."

* * *

**Midday, October 31, 2007**

Sarah and Chuck sat at a table in a diner for lunch. The night before, Sarah only had time to eat some carrot and celery sticks from the Buy More fridge. Chuck had put them there that morning, so they weren't from the Mystery Crisper. To make up for the meager dinner, Chuck brought her breakfast in bed and took her out to lunch."

Sarah was just about to finish her cheeseburger with extra pickles when she tilted her head to listen to the music quietly playing in the background through the restaurant's speakers. She said, "Seriously? Isn't this a little on the nose for a place serving food?"

Chuck said, "I don't know. Are you hungry? Hungry like the wolf? I know that isn't the most complimentary phrase, and you're more lethal than a wolf. You know last night when I was trying to stall Laszlo with pancakes, we started talking about Bond films. Duran Duran sang the title song for _A View To a Kill_, the same group that sang this song.

Sarah said, "Did you call the radio station to have them play 'Wake Up' this morning?"

"No, but Arcade Fire's music is like an auditory aphrodisiac." Chuck raised his eyebrows up and down.

"Stop that. You shouldn't use your eyebrows like that in public. We both know what happened this morning would've happened even if no music was playing on the radio."

Their short, brunette waitress returned to the table and asked if they needed anything else.

Sarah said, "No, I'm good. The cheeseburger was wonderful—better than In-N-Out's. I'm leaving in a minute, but my husband is staying behind to meet a friend. He'll most likely want to order. Thank you for a great lunch."

The waitress smiled and went to other tables.

Chuck said, "You do have a point about the song this morning. I didn't call the radio station as part of some sneaky plan to seduce the hot blonde in my bed."

"Well, for your next punishment the next time you get out of the car, at least you didn't have to sit through a Bond movie. I wouldn't do that to you. Oh, you probably like those. Bond films have a certain reputation among female CIA agents. They make male spies think it's ok to act like cocky jerks. The next time that you want to watch one, I'll watch Star Wars with you again instead."

"Every time? I think I want to watch every Bond movie next month."

Sarah called that bluff with a look. "If you'd rather spend over twelve hours in front of the TV watching a movie marathon about something that happened a long time ago each time instead of doing something else…"

"You're right. There's something else we could be doing. We should do that."

Sarah finished her last fries and said, "For this party tonight… I made my views on the James Bond persona clear, but as long as you don't act like him, I'll be fine with what we are wearing. It'll be fun to dress up without wearing an ear wick."

"Are you sure? We could wear the other Halloween costumes."

"No. We talked about this. If you go as Han Solo and I wear that gold bikini to go as a blonde Princess Leia, Morgan will insist on going as Chewbacca. He's too short, and it'll look weird. We don't want everyone laughing behind his back and asking us why we're with an Ewok. It'll be hard enough for him considering you pulled out of the sandworm costume partnership."

"You didn't want to dance in it with me."

"That's not how I want to dance with you. We don't need to rub it in that you have a different person you are partnering with this year."

"That's probably for the best. Are you really are ok with what we are wearing?"

"Sure. Casey's not going to be there, so we don't have to worry about him making snide remarks asking which one of us is the spy and which one of us is the professional when we all know I'm the professional spy. It's Halloween. We can role play. For you, please no fake English accent. You are Charles Carmichael, not James Bond, and I'm Carmichael's girl. I won't use an English, Australian, or Eastern European accent either. Also, while we know you are Carmichael, no telling anyone you are Charles Carmichael, because the fact that the alias is active is top secret. Let people think you are James Bond or some other spy. Just don't treat me like a disposable accessory, and I'll hang on your arm. One more thing. Your gun will be an unloaded tranq gun because that was easier to get, rather than searching several toy stores. Don't go passing it around. It looks real because it actually is real."

"Got it. It will be interesting to see if your outfit is more revealing than Ellie's."

"What? Why would you care what she is wearing?"

"I'm her brother. I care that she is wearing too little in her 'Eve' costume. At least it has more clothing than Devon's 'Adam' costume. You could be dressed in a potato sack, and everyone would still drool all over the place. It's my cross I have to bear as your husband." Chuck put his hands over his heart, and Sarah lightly swatted him for teasing. "We both get to 'reveal' more of each other later. I can still wish my sister and her boyfriend would wear turtlenecks."

Sarah gave Chuck a saucy smile. She stood to leave and gave him a goodbye peck on the lips. "Morgan's here. Be gentle. Good luck on your interview this afternoon. See you after work." She leaned in again and gave him another quick kiss.

Sarah met Morgan at the door and gave him a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek. Morgan slid into the booth taking the spot that Sarah had previously occupied. This friend-to-friend conversation was the point of Chuck coming to this neutral location. He wanted to make sure Morgan really was ok going to tonight's party without his best buddy.

"What's good here, boss?" Morgan asked. He didn't seem concerned.

"Don't jinx it, Morgan. I don't have the assistant manager interview for two hours, and I heard corporate sent in someone to conduct the interview."

Morgan waved him off, "It's inevitable."

At that moment, the waitress returned to the booth to take the order of the new hungry patron. Morgan's eyes met the young woman's, and they stared at each other for a few seconds. Chuck looked back and forth between them. Sometimes was just obvious. Morgan shook out his head and asked the woman with the long brown, wavy hair what she recommended. After she mentioned the club sandwich had bacon, Morgan agreed to that immediately. She smiled as she wrote down his order.

After the waitress left, Morgan said, "I see why you wanted to come here. Well, not you. You already have your ultimate woman, but for the rest of us who remain lone wolfish, this is the place where all the fine women are."

Seeing Chuck's confused expression, Morgan continued, "I know it's not Benihana's, like Jeff and Lester swear by, but I really don't trust their opinion of how good happy hour is. I'm talking about our hot waitress. I'm pretty sure Carina isn't coming back after she blew my chances with Ellie by kissing me goodbye in front of her. This one's better anyway."

Chuck said, "You do realize you never had a chance with Carina —or Ellie. Right?"

Morgan disregarded Chuck's assessment. "She's old news. Oh, could you please tell Sarah to stop doing what she just did."

"Stop what?"

"Stop trying to arrest my heart with a friendly goodbye hug and kiss. I know you told her I'm family, but by that logic, Ellie is family too, and she has that no-touching policy. As much as I don't like the policy, it does serve a purpose. It helps me breathe normally when I encounter beautiful angels that haven't made up a reason to despise me, like the one we just saw."

Chuck kept his mouth shut, but in a tight closed-mouth smile. Some delusions were safer to keep in place. It looked like Morgan had found a safer target, one that wouldn't toy with his affections to complete a mission. Right at that moment, the object of Morgan's interest returned with a toasted sandwich.

"I hop you'll like this. Is it good?" she asked.

Morgan's eyes were big as he stared at the sandwich. He took a bite. The moan he made expressing his pleasure was a little over the top, but the waitress lightly chuckled.

As Morgan chewed, continuing to show is satisfaction, Chuck said, "Pardon my friend. I think you just made his day. You brought him a sandwich with bacon."

The waitress continued smiling. "Sorry, I just started last week. I'm working part time here as I go do school at UCLA. Since I haven't been here long, I don't know the names of the regulars. I'm Alex." She pointed to her name tag. Her eyes immediately went to the silent man across from Chuck. Morgan's eyes were closed as he chewed his bite, savoring it.

Chuck said, "That's ok. We haven't eaten here before. UCLA is where my sister went. I'm Chuck. The woman here earlier was my wife, Sarah. This is my best friend, Morgan." Morgan just stared at the waitress with an amazed, but happy look. Chuck said with a little laugh, "I think you'll be seeing him back here in the future."

Morgan silently nodded. Alex's smile grew bigger to show her teeth.

Alex asked Chuck, since he seemed the one not struck mute, "What brings you here, besides the food? With your wife leaving and your friend staying, this seems like you use it as a meeting place."

Chuck answered, "We're planning costumes for a Halloween party tonight. My sister and her boyfriend are throwing one in an open courtyard at their apartment complex. A bunch of people will be there. Sarah and I live in the same apartments. The last few years, Morgan and I have gone in a two-person Shai-hulud costume, but now I'm married so I'm staying with Sarah. This year, she and I are going as a spy couple." Chuck looked to Morgan to direct his next statement, "I'm making sure Morgan understands and has his own costume."

Alex said, "You two went as one of the sandworms in Dune? That sounds really cool. I would've liked to have seen that. I'm sure he has something just as spectacular for tonight."

Morgan mouth dropped open at Alex's remark. This woman knew Dune. After a couple seconds he recovered and turned to ask Chuck, "You and Sarah definitely aren't going as Han and Leia? I guess I could still wear the Chewie outfit and go solo."

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Chuck asked.

"We'll since I'm going solo and you won't be Han, I could go as Han Solo, I have clothes at home I could put together for a costume, and I thought you'd use my replica Han Solo blaster anyway. Too bad Sarah is so tall. Otherwise this lovely lady could use her costume and go as Leia."

Alex immediately asked, "Morgan, are you asking me to go with you?" The question wasn't said with one of those "what are you doing" tones. She genuinely seemed to be excited by the idea.

Morgan's brain caught up with what he said, "Uh, well, I just thought you'd look unbelievable in the Princess Leia slave girl outfit. You don't have to go with me. You probably already have plans. Han didn't have a beard anyway."

"I don't have plans, and I like the beard." She reached out and lightly scratched Morgan's bread. Chuck had figured out there was an attraction between them, but she actually touched him. Alex asked, "Do you want to go with me? Going with you sounds like a really fun thing to do for Halloween."

"Who wouldn't want to go with you, except for people like Chuck because he's married? The problem is Sarah is very tall like Chuck. I don't think her costume would fit you."

Alex patted her hand on Morgan's which was resting on the table. "That's ok. I have my own gold bikini outfit. I got it for the one day I went to Comic-Con last summer, but chickened out wearing it since I hadn't been before and was going by myself. I didn't want to look like I was trying to pick someone up because that's not why I went. It's just the biggest show in the area, so I had to try it once. I was a fun experience. Going to a party with you as Han Solo would be a perfect excuse to actually use the costume."

Alex wrote on her order pad and ripped off a sheet. "I'd love to go with you. Here's my number."

Morgan stared at the sheet with the phone number. He looked up in wonderment. "And I thought the sandwich choice was good. This is the best thing that has happened to me in weeks."

"So far," Alex said with a wink.

Morgan gulped. "I will pick you up at 7."

Alex nodded. "Nice to meet you Morgan…and Chuck. See you tonight." She turned and left tapping on her pad with a pleasant smile on her face.

Chuck just sat there in shock. It looked like his getting married gave his friend some confidence that good things could happen to him, too—confidence so a woman came on to him instead of fleeing. Something about this woman made Morgan's entire face light up. She seemed to genuinely like him back. Her interest in him had already lasted a few minutes longer than most women who weren't spies playing a cover. It was almost impossible for Chuck not to get hopes up. If Morgan and Alex started dating, Morgan would have someone to keep him away from his sister and out of the spy world.

They'd have to figure out if Morgan was bringing her on his handlebars or if they she was driving.

* * *

A/N: Bunkering Chuck would never be an option for a super-agent's husband—not if they didn't want the agent tearing through security of government facilities like the jungles of Thailand. However, if you want to read a great story of what happens after Chuck is put in a bunker, read ninjaVanish's "Chuck & Sarah Vs The Bunker." It was started before season 3, so before "Chuck vs Phase Three" aired. It's a great story and makes that Thailand comparison I made seem reasonable. That story is the middle of a trilogy, but was written first, like Episodes IV through VI. Its longer prequel, "Chuck & Sarah Vs Themselves," picks up right after the season 2 finale and has nothing to do with a bunker, but I highly recommend it as well. It's more of a direct AU of the first half of season 3, starting immediately after the season 2 finale.

What about Anna? Never trust a woman whose name is a palindrome. If you drop in one married couple, everything looks different. Anna is never on Morgan's radar because he was inspired to grow up faster. This story is a "what if Chuck and Sarah were already married?" AU. That makes it a Charah story not a Morgan/Alex one. However, it's intriguing to think of Morgan and Alex being inexplicably attracted to each other without knowing who Casey is.

Songs:  
"A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran  
"Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran  
"Wake Up" by Arcade Fire


	7. All Right Now

_Posted August 21, 2019_

A/N: Hope the band stays off the field when the game clock is still running.

* * *

_**November 9, 2007**_

Sarah pulled her Porsche in front of the Buy More to pick up Chuck. After he got in, she asked, "Did you have problems leaving on short notice, now that you are assistant manager instead of working in the Nerd Herd? You can't claim to be going on a support call."

"I think they'll want me helping with those for a while. A couple people in the Nerd Herd are picky about the jobs they do, and it's easier to not make it an issue. No problems this time, though. I left my right hand man in charge."

"Your right hand man? Don't tell me. Morgan. Isn't Big Mike there?" Sarah asked as pulling out of the parking lot. "He is the manager, which means he should be in charge."

"Yes, I mean Morgan. Big Mike is happier if he's eating in his office and not having to deal with the sales floor. Morgan will be fine. He's actually been hyper-motivated the past week. He's really pulled himself together since he got a girlfriend. Since Harry Tang rage-quit, I wouldn't be surprised if Morgan has a shot at sales supervisor. Since everyone knows he works when I say something and he's calling himself my lieutenant, a lot of people are treating him as the leader of the green shirts."

"Morgan's still seeing Alex? He hasn't blown it? Good for him—for both of them. At the party, Alex seemed like a really nice person. I'd like having her around more. She's a lot more down-to-earth than Devon's frat buddies and the doctors from the hospital. Alex and Morgan were clearly in to each other, but that night Ellie told me Morgan would blow it in a day or two."

"Amazingly enough, he hasn't. Alex came by to pick him up for lunch yesterday. When she dropped him off after lunch, they were talking about when Morgan's mom would be out so the house would be empty." Chuck wiggled his eyebrows.

Sarah smiled. "Good for them. Ellie will be happy she was wrong." The Porsche hit the freeway, and Sarah started easily weaving through traffic.

Sarah said, "I was thinking we should have Ellie, Devon, Morgan, and Alex over for dinner sometime next week. We can get food delivered so neither of us have to try to live up to Ellie's level."

"Sure. I would be nice to have company instead of relying on Ellie and Devon to be hosts simply because that used to be our home and Ellie is such a good cook. Our housewarming party ended up as dinner at their place."

"We should invite Casey, too," Sarah said. "Ellie always includes him, so she'll notice if he's left out. Also, if Alex is going to be hanging around, you know he'll want to do a dig into her background to look for red flags. He might as well meet her."

Chuck agreed, "Sounds good. What could he find wrong in a twenty-year old college student working part time as a waitress? The NSA can't have that many details about her yet. It's not like then have a decade of her old calls recorded. Even if they did, she's about as normal as you can get."

Chuck stopped talking for a few seconds, then asked, "Where are we racing?"

Sarah gave Chuck an eye roll before she returned her attention to the road, downshifted, and took the next exit. "You know I told you that George Flemming was interrogated for his role in designing the Intersect before he was let go?"

"Yes. Counter-intelligence determined his most dangerous contacts were his students. You said he was bait in case Bryce tried to get in contact with him."

"Right. It happened the other way around. Flemming recently tried to contact Bryce, thinking he was still working with the CIA. That seems to indicate he knew nothing about the attack the night of your birthday , the night Bryce was declared rogue. The professor called for help because he screwed up and feared for his life."

"Does that mean they are going to arrest him, again?"

"Yes, but we left quickly so we can get a crack at him first. Flemming copied some classified intel and didn't keep it secure. Now a freelance spy, Magnus Einerson from Iceland, is after him, and the guy who betrayed you is on the run. We picked Flemming on a traffic camera and tracked his car to this neighborhood we're entering. Casey said we'd all fit in his Crown Vic, but when I said it's personal, he said, 'Happy hunting.' He'll be a few minutes behind us."

"We're not going to actually—"

"Of course not. We'll just make sure we get first dibs at interrogating him. I'm not planning on shooting him. At least that isn't in _today_'s plan. I'm pretty sure Casey isn't either."

"What should we do? A little good cop/bad cop?" Chuck asked.

"That'll work. You're the good cop, of course. I feel like being a bad cop to the guy who kicked my husband out of Stanford because of something a sleazebag traitor certainly did. If you want to be the bad cop, I understand. I'll be worse cop."

Chuck gave off a forced laugh as they pulled in front of a suburban house. Right as they approached the front door, a man in a baseball cap and sunglasses started to exit. Sarah immediately reacted, shoving the man hard back against the door he had opened so he hit the back of his head. That knocked him out and caused him to fall to the floor inside the house.

"I didn't mean to push him that hard," Sarah said. "Now we have to wait for him to wake up."

After a few minutes, George Flemming returned to consciousness, sitting in a dining room chair they had moved to the living room area. Sarah sat to the side, spinning a throwing knife flat on her open palm. Chuck stood in front of his former college professor.

Flemming's eyes went wide. "Chuck Bartowski. I never expected you find you working with the people I've been running from."

"Oh, we're not with them. You called for Bryce. We came instead."

"Wait, you're with the agency? You should've used a code phrase."

"Code phrase. That's good. I'll ask her for one later." Chuck pointed his thumb back back to Sarah, who seemed disinterested. She pulled out a couple more knives. Chuck continued, "We're the good guys. We didn't even bother to tie you up, though I vehemently recommend you just sit there and answer all of our questions. I'm sure she'd wouldn't take kindly to you trying anything." Sarah agreed by slowly shaking her head no.

Flemming squirmed a little, but didn't start to get up. "How did you find me?"

"You called Bryce. Remember how you were brought in about six weeks ago? Bryce had just blown up a government facility. There was some suspicion that you were working with him, after what happened to me at Stanford."

"You figured that out? I'm sorry about that. Bryce was adamant that we hide your test scores from the CIA so they wouldn't know how well you did. I just went along."

"Just went along?" Chuck made air quotes. "You 'went along?' I aced your test, and you must not have liked that. The year before, I had a professor that liked using the entire bell curve from 0 to the mid-80s. No one did better than that. The average was in the forties and a few got single digits. It was some kind of perverse kick. That wasn't enough for you. You didn't just fail me from your class for something I didn't do because I messed up your bell curve. You got me kicked out of school completely."

"Well, you're with the agency now, so it doesn't matter."

"I'm with the agency because Bryce went crazy and tried to frame me a second time. This time it didn't work because—" Chuck looked back to Sarah who was actually juggling three of her throwing knives. He wasn't sure if it was impressive, scary, or over the top. Chuck pointed with his thumb at Sarah again. "—because she's on my side. I strongly recommend you tell me everything that caused this mess you're now in, because otherwise, it's her turn. I completely trust her juggling skills, but I also know that she wouldn't mind if she 'slipped.'"

The professor gulped.

At that moment, the front door flew open. Sarah pointed a gun at the doorway, but there was no need. Casey dropped an unconscious bald man wearing all black to the floor of the entrance area. "Look what I found." He tossed a crossbow onto the floor in an open space in the room to his right where the interrogation was taking place. "This idiot actually thought a crossbow was a good idea. Not only is it an inefficient weapon, it must be a pain to get through customs."

Casey looked up to the interrogation scene. "Has he wet his pants, yet? Looks like he is about to." Casey pulled up the unconscious Icelandic archer by grabbing him from the back, under the armpits. "Carry on. I'll take care of the trash. Let me know what you find." He left dragging the freelance spy out the door. The broken crossbow remained on the floor.

Sarah put away her gun and pulled back out her knives. Somehow, they had been safely put away when she drew her gun. Whatever she had done, it was fast.

Turning his attention back to the professor, Chuck said, "The immediate threat from the foreign agent is gone. The guy on our side who likes shooting people is gone. However, trust me. The woman in the room should be your biggest concern even if he was still in the room. Your message on Bryce's service said you copied some files you shouldn't have."

Flemming's voice was filled with fear as he said, "Yes, I burned them on a disk and put the disk in a drop point."

"What was in the files?"

"Videos of interviews with CIA recruits. Your interview is on the disk, too."

Sarah stopped playing with the knives, leaned in, and focused all of her attention on the professor.

Chuck said, "But I was never recruited by the CIA."

"The interview never happened. Bryce intercepted your invite and came in your place. That's when we came up with the stolen test answer key plan. You're in the CIA anyway, so what we did back then didn't matter."

Before Chuck could follow-up with another question, Sarah said, "You compromised the identities of all CIA agents who went to Stanford. You also compromised Chuck, who was never recruited by the CIA and whose involvement is beyond top secret. You're the fifth person who knows of his involvement, and frankly, that is too many for me. Chuck's only been working with the CIA for six weeks, ever since Bryce tried to frame him a second time. Be thankful he is here. My concern for his sensibilities might be the only reason you are still breathing after putting all of those agent's lives and his life in danger. Your only chance is to tell us where the disk is."

The professor gulped again.

"That paper you took off of me." Flemming pointed to a white piece of paper on the coffee table where the things he had been caring were piled.

Chuck held the paper, and Sarah demanded he tell them what the code on the paper meant.

Flemming said, "It's a library book code."

Chuck said, "Oh, I know where that is. Bryce had a spot he used to hide ammunition in when we played Gotcha, this plastic dart shooting game, back in college."

"We know where to go next. Good." Sarah pulled out her phone. "Casey, we know the location of the intel Flemming illegally copied from CIA servers. It has the identities of multiple current and future agents and video evidence of what he did to Chuck five years ago. I'm going to tie him up, but you'll need to come back and get him because Chuck and I are going up to Stanford, immediately."

Chuck said, "The library will be closed by the time we get there." Sarah gave him a look. "Right. Locks aren't a problem."

Sarah said into the phone, "I still think Flemming doesn't know anything about what Bryce did recently, but an interrogation specialist should make sure. Even if he didn't know anything about that, the disk should show he stole from the CIA, withheld vital information, and conspired with Bryce to get Chuck kicked out of school. The Federal government doesn't need three strikes. One is enough. Chuck and I just need to secure the files first. We'll report-in when we have them." She hung up.

She then spent a minute tying up Flemming, She'd wasn't taking chances, using some zip ties she carried, a bed sheet, and an electrical cord. She also gagged and blindfolded the prisoner. Then she stuck his neck with a tranquilizer dart.

"Is that a little much?" Chuck asked.

"I feel a little bad about leaving him here, but we have to get that list right away. We can't wait for Casey to get back because he has to process the guy he caught earlier, which might take a while. We're not taking any chances by staying here. He didn't just copy a disk and withhold those test results you told me about from the CIA. He could have simply failed you for cheating. You were kicked out because of the accusation that you sold the answer key. That's vindictive and difficult to prove when it's not true. If you had contested it, that ruse put at risk the entire recruitment program, potentially dozens of lives. Even if we find the disk first, we have to make sure he didn't risk anyone's safety in some other way."

"You're the boss."

Sarah smiled and gave Chuck a quick kiss. "When it comes to dealing with someone who disparages my husband, yes I am."

Sarah led them through the kitchen to the garage. Chuck said, "About the interrogation earlier… I hadn't done that before. Was it ok?"

"Yes. I thought that went well. Flemming incriminated himself fairly easily. People like to talk to you."

"Your knife routine. Was part of your bad cop routine? Or was that you backing off because you can kill people with your glare?"

Sarah gave Chuck a knowing smile and raised and lowered her eyebrows a couple times. "I needed to keep myself busy. Casey would probably clean his guns." Sarah started slashing the tires of the car Flemming had in the garage.

"And you never slip?"

"Of course not. The closest I came was I almost flipped a knife at Casey's prisoner when he was thrown through the door." Sarah finished with the tires and walked by Chuck, giving her hips a little wiggle at she went from the garage back into the house.

Chuck said, "Please don't ever do knife trick to threaten me. I couldn't handle it."

"Your safe as long as you follow orders on missions. I want my Chuck in tip-top shape. This guy, however…" Sarah pointed to the unconscious and tied-up prisoner that they walked past on their way to the front door. "He smells like he needs a new pair of pants."

* * *

A/N: In the show's "Chuck vs the Alma Mater," I don't know for certain whether Flemming died or survived. I assumed one for a long time, then realized they didn't say. If he survived, I have a hard time imagining he wouldn't be fired by both of his employers. The CIA wouldn't trust him, having put agents lives at risk. Stanford would want a fall-guy for getting hood-winked into expelling someone the CIA told them they should give a diploma. Even if the Stanford didn't know Flemming was complicit, it would be pretty obvious when the CIA asked for special consideration of someone Stanford had kicked out without a valid investigation.

Songs:  
"All Right Now" by Free—the Stanford Cardinal Marching Band's de facto fight song (along with "Come Join the Band.")  
"Shout" by Otis Day & The Knights from Animal House


	8. Be Our Guest

_Posted August 23, 2019_

A/N: To get the truth, you sometimes need to know who's out there.

* * *

_**November 17, 2007**_

A first pounded on the apartment front door, rattling it against the frame. Normally, it would be frightening, but Chuck and Sarah were expecting guests. There was only one person that should be, someone showing the courtesy of knocking while also sounding he was going to run over everyone when he entered. However, no one was expected for fifteen minutes. Chuck was holding a phone to order food from a Thai place, and he looked to Sarah, who was setting the table. When safety was a concern, she was in charge.

Sarah set down her silverware and pulled a gun, just in case. People she'd want to shoot for protection wouldn't knock, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. For the night's gathering, Sarah was determined to try to look like the stereotypical hostess. She wore a flowered cotton dress and one-inch heels instead of her more typical spike heals that were typically over four inches and doubled as weapons. She might have a gorgeous housewife look instead of the supermodel look, but that didn't mean she wasn't armed with a thing holster under her dress.

The plans for the evening had started as a dinner for family and friends. Originally, Sarah thought she'd like to have Ellie, Devon, and Casey over to their new apartment as better opportunity to get to know Morgan's new girlfriend, Alex. Sarah never thought she'd be a super-hostess like her sister-in-law, but it'd be fun to have people in her and Chuck's home for a change. They'd just be having delivered food, but Sarah wanted to set the table and have a more "real" dinner, even though she wasn't cooking for seven. When she set her mind to it, Sarah could cook—both food and improvised explosives. Seven was a big step up from one or two, unless she was actually making something like a smoke bomb, and she didn't want to experiment gastrically on her family and friends during her first dinner party.

The evening's objective had drastically changed. A few nights before, Ellie had been hospitalized after a poisoner had come looking for nuclear codes that had been transferred to her by a dying man when the Bartowski and Woodcomb/Bartowski couples went out for sushi. The dinner was the first night which Ellie had been home for the full day. When Team Bartowski (that is two Bartowskis plus Casey) acquired the first antidote vile, Chuck gave it to Ellie, a decision that Sarah completely understood. Just the concept of Chuck being poisoned made her a little nauseous, but Chuck being Chuck, of course she understood him saving his sister first and then remaining at Sarah's side as they worked to find enough for everyone. Fortunately, they tracked down the gymnast-poisoner, and everything turned out ok for everyone—except maybe for the man who had poisoned them. Frankly, Sarah didn't care if the little man ever did a handspring again after her shooting him in the leg. Part of her thought she should have shot him again, maybe in the kneecap, to make sure.

With Ellie's hospitalization, the dinner at the Bartowski's was delayed and became a "welcome home" party. That wasn't the only cause for a party anymore. Devon couldn't wait any longer, so he popped the question to Ellie on the first night that she returned home. There was never a doubt at her answer. Now, the get-to-know-Alex gathering was a welcome-home/engagement party. Trying to take the pressure off, Ellie insisted to Sarah that it was just a dinner for the family and their closest friends. They'd have a full engagement party in the courtyard the weekend after Thanksgiving. The night still felt more important to Sarah than it had originally.

Through the apartment door, Casey called, "It's me. It's important." The pounding was from who they thought it was.

Chuck opened the door and said, "Please don't tell me we have to call this off because of a national security emergency. I didn't even flash."

Casey walked in, scoping the room. "No one else is here, right? The sensors didn't go off."

Sarah said, "It's just us. What's wrong?"

"You need to take Morgan into custody. Let's go."

Chuck moved to stop him from leaving. "Hold on a second."

Casey looked down. "Arm."

Chuck moved his hand which had lightly touched the NSA agent's forearm. "Right, sorry. Why don't you have a seat and tell us what the problem is?" He motioned to the couch. Casey looked at it, then looked at Chuck like he was nuts.

Sarah said, "Is Morgan in danger?" She still held her gun, though it was down to her side.

"Yes."

"From whom?"

"From _me_. I came to get you so I don't kill him."

Everyone was quiet for a few seconds. Sarah finally said, "Chuck is right. Sit down, take a deep breath, and tell us what this is about."

The three of them took seats in the living area: Casey in a chair and the Bartowski couple side-by-side on the couch. Sarah called Ellie and asked her and Devon to come over at 7 instead of 6:30. She said she had to do some work for a client account who was invested heavily in Asia. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange didn't open until 6:30. She had been saving that cover story for a few weeks. She figured every so often she'd need to explain why she brought Chuck home late from his day shift when he had been reviewing the dailies at her office. Apparently, no one cared why Chuck stayed late at her private office where they would not be disturbed. While Sarah called Ellie, Chuck called Morgan and asked him to bring Alex later, as well. He heard Alex in the background say that it gave them just enough time.

With the other guests delayed, doing whatever awesome and amorous things they came up with, Chuck and Sarah returned their attention to Casey. The NSA marine explained, "I completed my background check of Alex."

Sarah said, "You said Morgan was in danger from you, not her. What did you find out about her?"

"Not her—her mother."

"I haven't heard of a spy named 'McHugh.' Have you crossed paths with her before?"

"As John Casey, we've never met. I haven't seen her since before I became John Casey."

"Oh." Sarah looked to Chuck who didn't seem to understand. Casey looked like he wasn't going to say any more, so she said "It's ok, John. Chuck knows that I had a lot of fake names when I was running cons with my dad growing up. In the last two years, I've had four identities. It makes sense that you were someone before becoming John Casey."

Chuck looked to his wife curious. "Four? I know of three. Sarah Walker, Eva Anderson, and Sarah Bartowksi."

"Sarah Walker wasn't my birth name, but it was my legal name, which worked for the marriage certificate. The fourth is Sarah Carmichael."

"Oh yeah. I love her too." Chuck leaned in and gave Sarah a peck on the lips. Casey groaned.

Chuck sat back and said, "I guess when we all were suffering from the effects of truth serum the other day, I should have asked Casey what his name is."

Casey said, "John Casey has been my legal name for a long time, too. The truth serum didn't matter. Your wife and I were trained to resist the effects of truth serum in case we're captured and interrogated. We don't need something like pentathlon with you because we can always tell when your telling the truth or not telling us everything."

Sarah redirected the conversation back to Casey. "Alex's mom knew you under an old identity?"

"Kath thinks I died."

Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "Kath? You mean Kathleen? I assume you dated or something. A fake death can be awkward to explain. I've only had one, and that was a 24-hour ruse on a mark that we captured right after. anyway. How long ago was this?"

"Twenty-one years."

This stopped Sarah for a second. "That could be a problem. A _big_ problem. Was there somebody else? Is that why you broke up?"

"No. She would never do that. We got engaged before I shipped out that last time. I didn't know she was pregnant when I went into covert ops."

Sarah carefully asked, "Are you sure it didn't happen when she was grieving, after she found out about your supposed death?"

"Alex was born about nine months after we got engaged."

"Not to put too fine a point on it, how can you be sure you're the father?"

"I'm sure. My previous name was Alex Coburn."

Sarah said in almost a clinical way, "Kathleen thought you were dead. She still could have picked that name to honor you."

"I knew you'd speculate something like that. Just to be certain, I confirmed it with a DNA test using a long hair I took from Morgan's Buy More jacket earlier today. I have equipment at my place. Also, while I was waiting for results, I pulled her electronic birth certificate record. It has Alex Coburn listed as her father."

Chuck, who could not stay quiet any longer, said, "Congratulations?"

Sarah gave a look to Chuck that clearly said he should have remained quiet.

Sarah then said to the NSA agent, "This is unexpected, but it won't be the craziest thing we've had to deal with this year. It might not even be the second oddest coincidence. The fact that you faked your death to become a spy has been a secret for two decades. It can remain so for one more night. Tonight is Chuck and my first night having this many people over, and I am _not_ letting you ruin it. Tonight gives us a chance to get to know Alex better as a person—something that you should want the opportunity to do, especially considering the circumstances. However, tonight is not about any of us. Ellie came really close to dying much more recently than twenty years ago. Not only that, but she and Devon have something special to celebrate. Tomorrow, we can figure out what to do next. Whatever it is, Morgan is _completely_ off-limits. He's my best-friend-in-law, whatever that means. One thing it means is he's as good as family. You need to be on your best behavior tonight, Major. Got it?"

Casey caught the order at the end and reluctantly agreed. Then he said, "She's only twenty."

Sarah said, "I don't know what you were doing at Annapolis when you were twenty. When I was twenty, I was a junior at Harvard, I had completed six months of training at the Farm over summers and school breaks, and I had worked in support on two 'low risk' missions in Europe. Alex is old enough to make her own decisions, and while Morgan can seem a little over the top at times, he's a great guy. He and Ellie were the only people that stuck by Chuck through disappearing parents and Stanford. Like I said, he's family."

Sarah got up and poured Casey a scotch. "Here. Have this, and tonight, be the sweet guy Ellie always says you are."

* * *

No major, or even minor, incidents happened at dinner. Sarah served the food on china, making it feel like a normal dinner. Sarah hadn't ventured cooking the main course for dinner, but she had prepared apple crisp for dessert. (It was simple—only apple pie filling sprinkled with Jiffy cake mix, baked, then served with ice cream. Everyone loved it.)

As they all visited with each other after dinner for a while, Morgan not-so-subtly told Chuck that he needed to talk to him in private out in the courtyard. Chuck couldn't tell him that the area wasn't really private. In fact, that area was recorded, whereas his home only had the people in the room that might overhear them.

Outside, they didn't take a seat on the fountain's edge. Morgan was too excited, rapid-firing a bunch of questions as he stood. "What do you think of her? Isn't she fantastic? It's like she just…fits."

Chuck responded, "Alex is really nice. I'd almost say that you got a good one."

"Almost? Just almost? Right. You can't say more because you're off the market. Sure, Sarah is out-of-this-world and perfect for you, but sometimes she seems almost too perfect—like Sarah Walker was this special person created just for you. Alex, though. She's perfect for _me_. I've only known her eighteen days, but I never thought something like this would happen to me. She _wants_ to be around me. You'd think that I'd be more upset that Ellie is off-the-market, but I finally understand the difference between one goddess that is unattainable and another that likes me for me."

Chuck put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You're counting the days. That's great buddy."

"I do have one concern. I'm not used to having to keep other potential suitors at bay," Morgan said. "Casey was doting on her all night."

Inwardly, Chuck agreed. Casey wasn't good at being subtle. It wasn't what his friend feared, though.

Morgan asked, "Do you think I have to worry about him going after Alex? That guy scares me. I've got a few years on Alex, but in many ways, she's the mature one of the two of us. We both know it. We've even joked about it with each other. It works for us because we balance each other out. However, Casey's old enough to be her father."

Chuck could barely hold in a laugh. "I suppose he is. You don't have to worry about Casey being a romantic rival. Just don't rub your relationship with Alex in his face." _No father wants to see his daughter with anyone._ _"_He has a hard enough time with Sarah and me, being that we're his neighbors, are always around him, and are in an extended honeymoon period." _And he has to be around us on spy missions. _"Casey has a hang-up on what he calls 'lady-feelings.' You know about his military background, right?"

"Sure. He used to serve full-time and now is in the reserves."

"That's his story." _The truth is he's scarier than that. _"I'm fairly sure he's still married to the service, so he's not looking to have a new girlfriend anytime soon," Chuck reassured his friend.

"Ok. If you get any signals that things are different and that I should be concerned, please let me know. I really like this girl and don't want to be put in a situation where I'm dueling for her affections. That's not my strong suit. This is one of those times superpowers would be useful."

Chuck knew of one superpower, and the Intersect wouldn't help. He said, "Don't worry. If something changes, I'm sure you'll hear about it." Y_ou'll be told to run for your life._

"Thanks. Everyone is coupling up. Well, except for the tough-guy, but he's made his choice so in a way, he is too. Sometimes I'm surprised he isn't full-time military. It suits his personality. But if his reserve job outside the Buy More does it for him, good for him. I'm really glad people like him are keeping us safe, as long as they leave the good ones for the rest of us. Let's go back in so I can get Alex away from Ellie before she tells her about my prom date."

"Yeah, that would be weird."

The two returned to the others. The ladies were laughing up a storm, while Devon was still trying to convince Casey to go white water rafting with him. All in all, the party seemed to be going well. It's not like there was a body on the floor, which earlier in the evening had seemed a possibility.

* * *

When it was time to leave, everyone profusely thanked the host and hostess. Ellie and Devon walked the few feet home with Ellie's arm tightly around the back of her fiancé. Alex and Morgan walked hand-in-hand, leaving through one of the complex's arches. Casey looked about to walk after then, when Sarah stopped him.

"Sit."

Casey looked like he didn't want to at first, but when he got a better look at Sarah's face, he realized that it was an order. He followed orders.

Sarah and Chuck joined him in the living room area.

"What was that?" Sarah asked.

"What?" Casey proffered innocence. "I was a perfect gentleman."

"Ellie and Devon were too happy with each other to notice what you were doing. Chuck, Morgan talked to you outside. I doubt it was about making plans to see the new movie, _Beowulf_. What did Morgan say?"

"He thought Casey was hitting on Alex," Chuck said. Sarah gave Casey a knowing look.

Casey protested, "I was just being nice."

Sarah ignored him and asked Chuck, "And what else? You might as well tell us. Remember, we have video."

"He said Casey is old enough to be her father, which is kind of ironic because he actually is her father. Morgan didn't directly ask, but I think he wants protection, or at least someone in his corner if it came to a battle between him and the big guy, here. Morgan has seen your workout equipment, and we've heard Devon say his workout routine isn't too extreme because you're in a lot better shape than he is. It's not a competition thing for Devon. It was his way of saying it can't be too much for him because your morning runs when I'm not running with you are regularly twice his. I digress. The point is I think Morgan knows that if I back him, you will do the heavy lifting."

"As the Buy More assistant manager, you're also the boss of all of the salespeople," Sarah said.

Casey scoffed, "Like this walking computer can tell me what to do."

Sarah said, "On missions, we know that if it comes down to it, I'm in charge because Chuck is more likely to listen to me, but as the professional spies on the team, we're both his superiors. However, an important part of our job to maintain his cover. For Chuck's Buy More job, you need to follow his orders because that maintains his cover and yours. Chuck, you're management. If one employee intimidates another employee in your charge, what's the next step? What's done if it's really bad?"

"We'd try to resolve it by talking to the person. If necessary, corporate HR could be pulled in. If it was bad enough, somebody could be fired. Jeff and Lester have shown the bar pretty high for bad behavior, but it's possible."

"John," Sarah seriously addressed the man who only recently realized he was a father, "if you want to do your cover job the way you should, you will not get in the way of your co-worker and his girlfriend."

Casey grunted. That wasn't a grunt of agreement, but it at least indicated he had heard.

Sarah said in a no-nonsense tone, "Obviously, we need to do something about this situation. Alex shouldn't keep thinking her father is dead, and Morgan shouldn't be motivated to keep her away from you without knowing what you're really just trying to be a good father. To Alex, you've been dead for twenty years. She might pick him. Tonight, I invited Alex to have lunch with me tomorrow. I'll bring her back here, and tell her the truth. I'll invite you to join us when it's time. You probably should say that your background, including the reason your death was faked, is classified and that you can't go into the details. You can tell her the truth that you never knew about her. She doesn't need to know that you're still working as a spy. You might have missed out on the chance to clean your guns when the prom date came to pick up your daughter, but it's too late for that. Alex and Morgan are clearly crazy about each other. If you want to have _any_ kind of father-daughter relationship with her, I suggest you not make your first act trying to push away her boyfriend. From the looks of it, Alex is already on Morgan's side, so she'd choose him over the father whom she grew up without."

Casey grunted again. "Now that you're married, you're the expert on family relationships?"

"My dad is in prison, but the two of us have a better relationship than you have with your daughter, which is _none_."

Chuck added, "I know exactly what it's like to be abandoned by a father. Trust me, having an absentminded and missing father is worse than having a father that I thought was dead. I still love my dad, whatever his reasons for checking out. Sarah and I are here for you, as long as you don't mess with Morgan and Alex's relationship. I've known Morgan twenty years, and I've never seen him like this. Please don't try to get in the way of them being happy."

Casey reluctantly said he'd cooperate. Sarah and Chuck said goodbye to the NSA father.

Alone in the apartment, Chuck pulled Sarah into a tight hug. As they held each other, Chuck said, "It looks like Team Bartowski has a daughter to worry about."

"Go ahead. Talk what you want to talk about," Sarah said.

"What?"

"I know you want to talk about our future kids."

"Kids? As in plural? I wasn't going to say anything. I figure we'll have a little Woodcomb around here before one of ours. I don't know if you even want multiple kids, or any kids for that matter. I didn't marry you because I wanted to father your children."

Still holding Chuck tight to her, Sarah said into Chuck neck. "You married me because I drove you to Las Vegas as fast as I could."

Chuck laughed, shaking them both through their hug. "That wasn't it. Sure, a family would be a wonderful thing for us to plan together someday in the future, but that's not why I let you whisk me away. I married you because I love you, no matter what our family looks like. A couple months ago, we thought we'd just have time together when we could find time between your missions. We're so great together, that was better than nothing. Now we get to start our life together side-by-side. Who knows what the future holds?"

"I don't know our future, either. I never thought I'd be a mother, but the idea of having _your_ kids someday is thrilling. Right now, I can't imagine how it would work. I updated my DMPA shot last week, so it's not starting soon. We need to find Orion and deal with the Intersect in your head before we make plans for a family. Then we'll see. Until then, we can keep 'practicing.' Speaking of which…"

Sarah pulled Chuck by the hand, leading him down the hall.

* * *

A/N: Casey is 18 days too late, or twenty years too late, depending on how you want to count it. He shouldn't get the the way of Alex and Morgan, anyway. Where's the tetrodotoxin, just in case?

In Nemesis's Ex, I had Chuck and Sarah get married really fast, but there won't be a Bartowski pregnancy in this one. It's not practical with Fulcrum out there. The TV show Alias has a pregnant spy and newborn baby in its finale season. Farscape had a great, post-series, made-for-TV movie with the great line during labor: "Shooting makes me feel better." There's only a couple chapters left, so there won't be something like that here.

Songs:  
"Be Our Guest" from _Beauty and the Beast_ (original or musical. The 2017 live action movie wasn't out yet.)  
"Youth" by Daughter


	9. El Camino Real

_Posted August 25, 2019_

A/N: I've been getting more into each chapter's companion songs lately, and there are a lot of songs listed at the bottom of this one. One song's title was used for this chapter's title, but the action in this chapter needs a more complete soundtrack. (I list YouTube codes before the songs.)

Yes, I said action. One of the great things about the show is that it isn't _just_ a romcom. Using FFnet categories, it is often adventure, angst, drama, family, friendship, (it's attempt at horror episode was just sad, but it was there) humor, mystery, romance, sci-fi, suspense, and tragedy. I reluctantly leave out parody because Jeff and Lester's antics were just considered normal humor for the show. I've classified this story as Romance/Adventure, but this one is Action, after some initial scenes of Friendship. The next could probably be considered Drama and Family.

For this penultimate chapter, it parallels the smuggling episode. For last chapter, Sarah Bartowski wouldn't have had to resist the effects of truth serum for a completely unnecessary question. In this one, Chuck wouldn't have a reason to date other people when he was happily married to the best one. However, his nemesis is still missing.

* * *

_**November 20, 2007**_

Chuck and Sarah entered the busy food establishment for lunch. Many people were waiting at the counter, having stopped in during their lunch breaks. Sarah said, "I'm glad we're eating here. It's about time we eat at Lou's in-person."

"Are you sure we can get food and a place to sit? This place is mobbed. Another time might have been better."

"It's ok. Almost everyone is ordering to go. There's a place to sit, and I called ahead."

Sarah and Chuck took the last open table by the front window. Chuck asked, "Are you sure we shouldn't get one of those numbers?"

"No need," Sarah said confidently.

Almost on cue, a short brunette who owned Lou's Deli, Lou Palone, walked around the end of the counter and the twelve or so people waiting in front of it. Sarah had been getting to-go orders from Lou's for weeks, and Lou had met Chuck in-person the day before when she brought her broken cell phone to the Buy More for repair. She brought Chuck and Sarah two sandwiches and drinks on a serving tray. Standing by the table, she tried to sound cheerful, but couldn't hide her concern. "Hi. Welcome to the place I make things out of meats and cheeses. Tell me the truth, Chuck."

When Lou had come in to the Buy More for help, it was a happy accident that Chuck was there to settle the panicked deli shop owner. Chuck had been staying near the Nerd Herd help desk while the rest of the herd had yet to reveal someone that could take a leadership role. He held up her repaired cell phone. "All better. It's just like new-ish."

Lou beamed, "You really saved my ass. Hoping for good news, I have for you—" She set down the food tray. "—two Chucks."

"Chucks?" Sarah asked, raising her eyebrows. "We wear those."

"Not these Chucks. These are special."

"Mine is special," Sarah said as she reached out and grasped Chuck's hand on the table. "I mean this one, not our shoes."

"These are _sandwiches_. I present the first two 'Chuck Bartowski' sandwiches. Turkey and muenster cheese on egg bread," Lou explained as she passed out their food. "I know it's not what you ordered when you called ahead, but I figured you'd want to eat the first two. There's on the house. Now you get to eat…" Lou hesitated, then said it anyway. "Now you get to eat Chuck, without it being suggestive."

Sarah laughed, and Chuck let out an uncomfortable laugh of his own.

Lou asked Sarah, "May I?" She opened her arms and turned towards Chuck.

Sarah said, "Um, I guess."

Lou seized the opportunity and wrapped Chuck in a thank you hug as he stayed awkwardly in his chair. It remained platonic enough that Sarah didn't growl. When Lou let go of Chuck, she was still smiling. "You both are now my favorite people who work here at the plaza, and you are such a cute couple. You got a good one, Sarah."

Sarah said, "Thanks. I'm still new in the area, so it's nice having friends who work nearby."

Lou said, indicating the crowd behind her, "I'm sorry, but I have to go deal with this mess. Enjoy your Chucks and come back often. My favorite people are always welcome here."

Chuck said, "Thank you, Lou. Hey that rhymed." He squeezed Sarah's hand and looked embarrassed at his awkwardness as Lou left.

As they ate their specially prepared meals, Chuck's eyes wandered to the nearby bulletin board. That's when it happened. It caused a choking cough.

"You flashed?" Sarah whispered.

Chuck nodded. "For future reference, when I'm going over the dailies at your place in the evening, I shouldn't eat at the same time."

"What did you flash on?"

Chuck pointed to the board. "That flyer for Club Ares. The Demitrios family is involved in some kind of smuggling. I suppose we should go dancing tonight at his club to see if we can learn anything else."

Sarah said, "We don't have to go. I doubt we'd find out anything useful on the dance floor. We'll pass the information along, and they'll set up surveillance to see if they can get a better lead." Sarah took another bite. "I really like Chucks—both this Chuck and my Chuck." She grinned as she chewed. They finished their lunch before heading to their respective places of work for the rest of the day.

* * *

_**November 21, 2007**_

Sarah and Alex talked at Sarah's dining room table as Chuck and Morgan sat on the sofa, playing a racing video game on the TV. Sarah asked Alex about the LA area and shared some funny stories she had heard of Chuck and Morgan, pre-high school. Sarah was happy she had found another new friend. Always traveling for cons and the CIA, she wasn't used to having friends who weren't teammate spies. It was refreshing.

Sarah had just brought back a glass of wine for each of the women when her iPhone, laying on the table, rang. Alex noticed the picture on Sarah's phone before Sarah answered it.

Sarah asked, "What is it Casey?"

"_We have to go. Two minutes. Two minutes ago would be better."_

"What happened?"

Sarah looked to the other woman and saw the concern on her face. Alex hadn't heard anything, but she could tell something was wrong.

"_When following up the lead from Chuck's flash and some additional intel they found, the FBI raided the docks where a shipment was coming in. Four of our guys are down—still alive—but out of commission. The smuggling's operation managed to get an eighteen-wheeler out of there with the cargo. We need to catch up and stop them. You and Chuck can meet me at the Vic in two minutes—one and three quarters now."_

"Morgan and Alex are here." Sarah spoke quietly. Alex could hear what she said, but the others couldn't. Chuck and Morgan were too immersed in their game. "I'm going to have to say something to Alex. Morgan has keys and can lock up. Chuck and I will be there in a minute. We'll take my car. It'll catch up faster, and I'll check-in from the road." Sarah hung up and started immediately to the back. Alex followed.

Before she left the main area, Sarah stopped and said, "Chuck, we have to go _right now_. Casey had car trouble on the expressway, and he shouldn't wait while you play games."

Chuck met Sarah's eyes and understood the underlying message. "Right." He shut off the game console with no hesitation.

In the bedroom, Sarah pulled out a black duffel bag from her closet that was already packed. Alex asked, "What's going on? Where's my dad, really?"

Sarah stopped for a second, giving Alex her full attention when answering the questions. "He's at his apartment, leaving now. Your father told you the other day that he went into covert ops before you were born. He didn't tell you that's what he still does. If you haven't figured it out, he's my partner. Chuck works with us. The three of us have been a team for a couple months. It's a unique team—highly classified. The only people that know are you, the three of us, and our bosses. You _cannot_ tell Morgan. I can't tell you anything more about what is going on, but we'll be ok. This is what we do. The best thing you can do for your father is to get Morgan out of here without a fuss after we leave. Understand?"

"No, I don't understand, but I don't have to understand. I'll do anything to help. If that's what I need to do to help my dad, consider it done."

Sarah walked back out to the others. Chuck was ready to leave. Morgan looked confused, but concerned. Alex immediately went to his side. Sarah tossed Chuck the keys to her Porsche. "You're driving."

Chuck looked about to argue, but seeing the determination on Sarah's face, he said, "Yes, ma'am. Morgan, can you lock up?"

"Sure thing."

Alex chimed in right after, "Don't worry about it. Go take care of your friend. The two of us will be fine." She held up her and Morgan's joined hands. Chuck and Sarah said a quick goodbye and left.

* * *

Chuck started driving to the expressway. Sarah said, "Don't be your normal overly cautious self, and don't worry about the speed limit. Get on the 101 north."

"I'm trying to be careful of your car. I don't want something to happen to it the first time that you have me drive it." He turned out of their neighborhood to Glendale Boulevard, a four-lane road with stop lights.

"We need speed. I know you can drive faster than this. You were just lapping Morgan in those games."

"You're actually basing real life skills on video games? That sounds like something Morgan does, though I know they're just games. Which game were you talking about? Mario Kart or NASCAR '08? One is fantasy, and the other is for actual race cars."

"It doesn't matter which game. You're good at all of them. This car is faster. Here. Take these." Sarah handled Chuck a couple driving gloves. On her way out the apartment, she had picked up Chuck's pair, which were sitting by the XBox's steering wheel.

"Those are to prevent chafing when playing video games that use the wheel controller."

"Just take them. You drive better with them on. Run the light."

"It's red."

"Just go!"

There were no cars going the cross direction, so Chuck went.

Putting on the gloves, he said, "I don't understand why I'm driving instead of you."

Sarah explained by starting to change out of her skirt and blouse into a black tactical outfit from her duffel bag.

"Wow. You realize people can see in the car, don't you?" Chuck pointed out.

"Then go faster so they don't have time to look."

Chuck accelerated it up to just under fifty in a thirty zone. As Sarah pulled up her pants, they approached another intersection and Sarah said, "Don't slow down. Just go."

Chuck did slow a little to look for cross-traffic but otherwise didn't slow much. Once through the intersection, he accelerated again. Coming up on the intersection where they'd turn left to get onto Bellevue Boulevard, the road that would take them to the highway exit, they approached some cars that were slowly starting to move after their previous stop at the light.

"Drive in the other lanes," Sarah ordered as she pulled a thin body armor vest over her head. It was meant to be worn under another shirt.

"I don't understand. Where?"

Sarah pushed the side of the wheel, moving the car into the lanes going the other direction. Oncoming traffic was stopped but just starting to go from the other side of the upcoming intersection. Chuck accelerated and after a fifty meters turned left onto Bellevue Boulevard, going back into lanes on the right side of the road.

"Faster, Chuck," she said as she put on her shoes.

Chuck finally got them onto US-101. As typical for LA, there was a lot of traffic. At least it was moving, going almost 55.

"Now what?" he asked. "There's cars in the way."

"Left lane." Chuck used his signal and made his way over.

Sarah put a device on her dash which she had previously used two months before on their pre-wedding trip to Vegas. It provided early warnings and could show cars that were way ahead. They didn't need it because the cars all around them were easy to see. She hooked an earpiece around her ear so she could talk with Casey in his car. He hadn't quite reached the expressway.

Sarah read information on another hand-held mobile device that she often used to get information from the CIA network. "The smugglers are transporting an unknown cargo and are driving from the Port of Los Angeles up I-405. Several people were shot by the smugglers in tonight's raid. We don't know what they have in their vehicle. It could be guns, drugs, or bomb components. Whatever they are transporting, they're willing to kill to keep it, and they have a big head start. Casey is behind us, but we are closer and faster. We'll keep going north on state highway 170. We need to catch the semi soon after this road merges into the 5, then the 405 merges in."

"That's twenty miles. With traffic, that could be an hour."

Sarah tapped on the device. "This says traffic shouldn't be a problem. Maybe fifteen minutes."

"No way. We'll never do that in LA traffic."

"Go to the shoulder. Now!"

Chuck did. It was wide open in front of him. The road wasn't as wide. However, it was wide enough for their small car. He said, "I hope no one is pulled over."

"We'll be fine on this side." Sarah tapped her ear. "Casey has called CHP and confirmed that they will stay out of our way. This thing," Sarah pointed to their scanner, "will show us if something is blocking our way, like if someone is changing a tire. You should be able to get up to ninety."

Chuck accelerated even more, passing cars quickly using their makeshift open lane. He asked, "Why don't we stop for a minute so you can drive? You can probably get us up to light-speed quickly and make up any lost distance in no time because of relativistic effects."

"When we catch them, I need you to drive so I can leap onto their truck."

"So you can _what_!?"

"I'm going to jump from this car to their semi so I can stop them. This car is too small to work as an obstacle. Even Casey's behemoth Crown Vic is too small. His car has a missile he could launch, but we want to stop them, not crash them. If I shot out out multiple tires, it probably wouldn't work because there's double wheel redundancy. If I shot out enough, at high speed, it could cause a wipe-out."

"So your plan is board them—Indiana Jones-style, except I'm driving a Porsche instead of being a white horse." Chuck's voice was filled with disbelief, almost panic.

Sarah "Do I need to watch another movie with you to get the reference? Growing up, I think I saw it some night in a motel room when I was traveling the country with my dad, but I didn't really like the eyeball soup and the bugs. I don't remember much else."

"That's the second movie. I'm talking about the first one. There's a great scene in which Indy rides a horse to catch a Nazi truck that is transporting the Ark of the Covenant. He jumps from the horse to the truck. While the scene is arguably one of the best scenes in movie history, that's not a plan you should try to do yourself. Indy was pushed through the windshield of a moving truck, went under the truck on the ground, and dragged from the back with a rope."

"I won't do that."

Chuck continued his high speed on the shoulder, passing dozens of cars that were going at half their speed. "Can't you come up with a better plan?"

"I won't get dragged behind. I'll be fine."

"I know you do all kinds of crazy things when you go on missions, but do you do stuff like this all of the time?"

"Not this specifically. I once jumped from one high-speed boat to another. That was slower, but the waves were causing the boats to bounce as they skimmed across the water. This will be easier."

"But you have me for a driver."

"You'll be fine, Chuck. You can do this. Just drive straight and keep a steady speed. When I get on the truck, you can back off. Stay close. Casey will be a few minutes behind, but I should have control of the truck by then."

"I still can't believe you have me doing something like this on a spy mission."

"We don't have a choice. It's not like you're the one jumping between vehicles. I just watched you driving for about an hour going a lot faster than you are now, I know you can do this."

"That was a video game. I wasn't really going two hundred miles per hour despite what the screen said."

"Just don't freak out. They make those games, well some of those games, just like the real thing. I trust you."

There were on I-5 and had about a mile until I-405 merged with them. Traffic had lightened up enough that Chuck had steered back on to the proper three-lane of the expressway. He briefly used the middle lane to pass a car on the right. Their scanner showed their target come in from the 405, just a little bit ahead. For a while, there were parallel sets of three lanes from the two expressways, both heading north. A short while later, the two roads merged into a wide seven-lane road. Sarah wanted to overtake their target before they lost most of the lanes. She pointed to a gap, and Chuck hit the hole, changing three lanes to the right, then quickly going back to the left. He was still going almost ninety-five. When he saw the smuggler's transport semi right ahead of them, he slowed to the low eighties.

When they were a couple hundred yards behind, cars around them seemed to know to stay clear, moving to lanes away from the fast moving semi and the sports car behind it. Sarah lowered her window.

"Pull up right behind them and draft. It'll cut down on the wind."

Chuck moved to a few feet behind the semi trailer. Sarah started out the window. Chuck called, "Be careful. I love you."

Sarah called back, "Stay in the car. I love you, too."

Sarah pulled herself the rest of the way out the window, and moved to the passenger side of the hood of the Porsche. She waved for Chuck to move closer, and she eased to the front. Chuck managed to not freak out as Sarah stood up into a low crouch. She reached to her belt and pulled off some kind of metal spool with a handle. Focusing on the truck in front of them and the woman standing on the front of the car's hood, Chuck hadn't noticed the big device attached to her side. He figured it must have been in her bag. She aimed it at the top of the door, and pulled a trigger. A thin cord shot out and and a metal spike at its end anchored itself at the top of the semi trailer door. With the rope tight, she moved to the door and put her feet flat on it, pulling herself off the car to be perpendicular with the ground. This was an example of why she always changed out of her heals when putting on mission apparel. She then used that rope to walk herself up the back of the trailer and onto the roof.

Chuck couldn't help but think Sarah had used a bat-rope from her utility belt as he eased up on the gas and moved his car to a safer distance. He was married to Batgirl!

A minute later, the semi truck slowed and moved to the right. After half a mile, the truck stopped on the right shoulder. Chuck parked behind, and after another minute, Casey took a third spot behind them both.

Casey walked up to the semi cab with his gun drawn. When he was a few yards away, the cab door opened, and an unconscious body fell head-first out of the truck, onto the ground. A few seconds later, a second body, was pushed out same side. Sarah followed, using her legs to kick the limbs of the second man out of her way. Chuck passed Casey, and Sarah met him half-way in a full hug and passionate kiss.

After a few seconds, Casey grunted, "Enough of that. You can get back to that when we aren't on the side of the highway and when I'm not around."

Chuck said to Sarah, "That was amazing. Indiana Jones-amazing, and he was fictional. What did you do after you jumped off the car?"

"I moved up to the front of the truck, keeping low on the roof of the trailer. Then I jumped to the cab, and propelled myself through the passenger-side window, kicking that man unconscious." She flipped her hand to point to the second man she had pushed onto the ground. "I keep some small tranq needles in a pouch on my belt, so I used one on the driver."

"Ooo, those would work for me."

"You're not caring any kind of gun, and if you, heaven forbid, had to carry a tranq pistol, I'm not carrying your ammo." She waited to make sure Chuck had reigned in his excitement. "The hardest thing was moving the driver out of the way so I could bring the truck to a stop."

"Harder than jumping from one moving car to another?" Chuck questioned.

"That was easier. You kept the car speed steady, and the semi was in cruise. It wasn't really a jump. It was more of a step so I could climb up the back using the heavy cord that I had anchored."

"Harder than getting over the corner from the back to the top?"

"I had to be careful when doing that, but it wasn't a problem."

"Harder than going from the trailer to the cab?"

"It was easy because the passenger-side window was down. I rotated immediately from the roof through the passenger window. That was the fun part."

"Fun?"

Sarah shrugged.

The three of them went to the back door of the trailer and opened it. Inside, they didn't see a bunch of small crates holding weapons or drugs, nor did they see vats of chemicals. Instead, there was a single, huge wooden crates, maybe 12x8x6. Casey and Sarah grabbed a couple crowbars that were hanging to the side and pulled open one side. With one side detached, they saw a large ten-foot metal, round capsule with half-spheres at each end. On one side, there was a digital number read-out with numbers on a black panel underneath. The read-out said 00:00.

"It's not a bomb, or it would have already blown up," Chuck said.

Casey noticed a vent at the end had opened. "It's not airtight. That vent must have opened when the timer went to zero, meaning this thing is not pressurized."

Sarah said, "It's still sealed shut. Is there a way to get in, or do we need to wait for equipment?"

Casey pulled off the button panel, revealing a bunch of wires. He looked to Chuck, who shrugged. Casey pulled out his gun and pointed through the side of the mess of wires.

"Casey. Wait," Sarah said.

"Like Chuck said, it's not a bomb, or it would've already blown. There's nothing toxic inside because it's not airtight. At the edges, I can feel a couple bolts that the locking mechanism must use to control the lid."

Sarah dropped her head in resignation. Casey shot twice, gunfire echoing inside the trailer. On the capsule, he found an edge that opened as a lid to reveal a large section of the top. They looked inside. Hooked to tubes and medical sensors on wires, was something they didn't expect.

"Oh my god. Bryce."

* * *

A/N: This fanfic universe started with Sarah becoming the nemesis's ex in the last story. It ends next chapter as they deal with the nemesis's return.

I used the song that inspired this chapter's title over nine years ago in "Sarah vs the Mystery Agent," chapter 4, "The Chase." That chapter has team being followed in a "spy van," instead of the other way around, on El Camino Real Road in Woodland Hills, California, near Encino. The expressway in this chapter is part of the 600 miles of the historic "The King's Highway" in California, a.k.a. El Camino Real. I used Google Maps back then, too. The route this time: goo. gl /maps/spaUZUNnLANaxhG3A

Songs: (On youtube: vE2zx4lr, D5-bD372v5s, HPYmrapNgxo, PjR9R8HRzGc, and FVdRfnLPypE)  
\- "Getaway" by Earth, Window, & Fire  
\- "El Camino Real" by Alfred Read  
_\- Theme from _CHiPs_ by John Parker  
__\- "Desert Chase" by John Williams from _Raiders of the Lost Ark_  
\- _"Two-Face's Hideout / The Batgirl / Batgirl Takes Action / Batgirl Gets Trashed" from "From The Shadow of the Bat, Part 1″ by Shirley Walker


	10. Happy Together

_Posted August 26, 2019_

A/N: Many years ago (reviewing A Common Spy Problem), I said never warn about fluff. (You don't _have_ to do that, like it's a good idea for character deaths or trigger situations. Fluff warnings are appreciated as advertisement, though.) This is a not-as-fluffy-as-it-could-be warning because the chapter does not start with Chuck and Sarah snuggling by a fire with Bryce roasting on a spit. The chapter ends this story with a family dinner, though.

* * *

_Here's a couple of things you might need to know, or maybe you just forgot._

Sarah said, "It's still sealed shut. Is there a way to get in, or do we need to wait for equipment?"

Casey pulled off the button panel, revealing a bunch of wires. He looked to Chuck, who shrugged. Casey pulled out his gun and pointed through the side of the mess of wires.

"Casey. Wait," Sarah said.

"Like Chuck said, it's not a bomb, or it would've already blown. There's nothing toxic inside because it's not airtight. At the edges, I can feel a couple bolts that the locking mechanism must use to control the lid."

Sarah dropped her head in resignation. Casey shot twice, gunfire echoing inside the trailer. On the capsule, he found an edge that opened as a lid to reveal a large section of the top. They looked inside. Hooked to tubes and medical sensors on wires, was something they didn't expect.

"Oh my god. Bryce."

* * *

_**November 22, 2007  
(Thanksgiving)**_

Chuck walked into an all white room where Bryce was strapped to a reclined chair on a single metal base. It made Chuck think of a dental chair, although it was thinly padded, wasn't attached to a large jointed arm for cleaning his teeth, and didn't have an overhead light. The chair had probably lifted from a horizontal position, and there was a tray with ampules and an injector gun nearby. Bryce wore a thin, pull-over long-sleeve shirt and pants. When they had found him earlier, he was shirtless. At least someone had given him a shirt. Now, he looked like a test subject. A couple carts were pushed against the walls with more equipment.

Chuck had planned on staying out of the interrogation, leaving it for the spies. After his former friend had upended his life multiple times, Chuck was fine with them throwing Bryce in a dark hole and forgetting about him. Chuck thought of himself as a forgiving sort of person, giving people three or four chances. His sister had told him for years that he needed to stick up for himself more. His wife had influenced his attitude about that. Maybe two chances was enough.

Bryce had refused to speak, except to ask for Chuck. They needed answers about why he blew up the Intersect computer two months ago, so Chuck had come in hopes that Bryce would say something useful. That's the only reason he was within fifty feet of his nemesis. Sarah and Casey waited just outside the room, observing through a one-way mirror.

Keeping his head down, Bryce didn't look Chuck's way when he asked, "Who are you?"

"Hey, Bryce. It's me. Chuck."

Bryce looked up at him, doubtful, and said, "I don't believe you. What did you do with the real Chuck?"

"Well, unless we're in the Twilight Zone right now, there's another Chuck, and I'm his clone, the answer to your question is yes, I am Chuck."

"I don't believe you. You made a mistake and wore a wedding ring. Chuck's not married." Bryce's face remained hard and skeptical. "Prove it." Bryce said something in a different language.

"Oh, come on," Chuck protested.

"Do it."

Chuck responded to Bryce in the same language. At that moment, the door to the room slid open, and Sarah entered.

Initially ignoring the arrival, Bryce said, "What the hell? Your Klingon's a little rusty, Chuck." He looked to the other person who had joined them in the room. "Why is Sarah here?"

Sarah took Chuck's hand down at their sides. She said, "I'm here with my husband. Sometimes I think he's too good to be true, but he's the real Chuck. He's _my Chuck._"

"You almost had me for a second, Chuck, or whoever you are. There's no way you're married to Sarah. She doesn't want to get married. Spies don't fall in love."

Sarah didn't want what Bryce was saying to stand. She countered, "I didn't want to get married to _you_. A little over four months ago, Chuck saved me. When I saw what was in front of me back then, I wanted to get away. When I saw the man that I love in front of me, I didn't want to escape. We were married in September, a week before his birthday, the day you were shot."

She turned to ask Chuck, "What was that you two were saying a minute ago? Some kind of secret language you learned in your fraternity?"

"It was Klingon, from Star Trek."

"I don't remember that in the movies, just Huttese and Ewok. If you gave me a couple of days, I might be able to get by in the former. The second was gibberish. It even had English mixed in."

"Those languages were from Star _Wars_. It's different. Klingon is from Star _Trek_, the series with _The Wrath of Kahn_."

"Oh yeah, that's the one you are Morgan were quoting throughout lunch we had with him at Sbarro a couple of weeks ago. I didn't remember you two talking Klingon, though."

"There's no Klingon in _Khan_. The language was formalized for the third Trek movie, the one after that one. Klingon is also in the fifth and sixth movies and some of the last six hundred of over seven hundred episodes."

"That many? I see why it needs its own language."

"That's not why."

"We have our whole lives together for you to teach it to me." She lightly kissed him, despite the interrogation room surroundings.

Casey joined them in the room, went over to Bryce, and tightened his wrist bonds.

"Casey," Bryce said with disgust.

Casey said to Chuck and Sarah, "These looked a little loose. Part of me wanted him to try to escape so I could shoot him again. I thought better of it and came in. If you want to keep doing what you were doing, please wait until I get out of the room, but then you can resume. I think it made this guy uncomfortable, and I'm fine with whatever makes him feel worse."

To Bryce, he said, "I strongly suggest you cooperate. Next time, I'm shooting for the head." He snickered and left.

Bryce said to his first interrogator, "If you're the real Chuck, why is your Klingon rusty?"

"I've been kind of busy lately, ever since I got your email."

"You opened it, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Your computer?"

"The email erased itself. We sent the hard drive off to CIA specialists. They couldn't recover the data, which wasn't surprising because I had already tried."

"So you're the only one."

"I don't get it. Why'd you do it? Why did you send me the Intersect? Then why did you destroy the original? And last up, how the hell are you still alive?"

"It's complicated."

Sarah said, "There are two theories that hadn't been discounted. One, you tried to frame Chuck as an act of revenge because you couldn't stand that I avoided your proposal but married him. Earlier, you didn't know that we are married. That rules out that theory. The other theory is that you were going to try to get the intel out of Chuck by manipulating him, just like you took advantage of him at Stanford."

"Like I did what? We were friends. He's the one that left."

"Because of what you did. We know about your plan with Flemming. We have video evidence that you deliberately withheld information from the CIA and conspired to falsely accuse Chuck, getting him expelled from school. Last week, Chuck received an official apology letter from the Stanford University President. A diploma is coming through at the end of the year. Since Chuck was on scholarship, there's no tuition to refund, but they've offered to refund any academic-related expenses for his last semester. They don't know about the CIA's involvement, but they know evidence has revealed you framed Chuck, and they know they messed up. I think they're worried about getting sued. Chuck trusted you back then and fell into your scheme. Part of me is glad you went after his girlfriend and got her out of the picture. This time, he has me. You're never getting access to the Intersect secrets that he downloaded into his brain."

Bryce tried to explain. "It was an internal hit. I was recruited by a radical, independent group that has people who have infiltrated all levels of the CIA and other agencies. They knew all of my activation codes. I had to get the Intersect away from them."

Chuck said, "Are you talking about Fulcrum?"

"You know about them?"

Sarah said, "Trying to clean up the mess you created, we looked into contacting some of the scientists who worked on the Intersect. Flemming was one, and we all know how trustworthy he is. Another was selling secrets to North Korea. A third was unknowingly working with Fulcrum. Emailing the Intersect to Chuck was putting a target on his back."

Chuck added, "I was lucky Sarah was there to protect me day one."

Bryce continued his weak justification. "I was just trying to keep the Intersect out of Fulcrum's hands."

Sarah asked, "If so, after you blew up the Intersect, why did you kill a man while you were trying to escape?"

"What do you mean?"

"During your escape, you kicked a security guard down a stairwell," Sarah said.

"When on missions, we both eliminate people in our way."

Sarah was firm in her disagreement. "That's completely different. On missions, we only kill people when we are following orders and when we have no other choice. They are enemies of this country, and they are trying to kill us. You weren't on an authorized mission. You knew it wasn't a real mission. It wasn't even a loyalty test. Once, an arms dealer gave me a loyalty test when I was undercover. I shot him between the eyes, rescued the man I was supposed to kill, and fought our way out. You killed one of ours who was doing what he was supposed to do. Jacob Snyder was a night-shift security guard protecting our national secrets. He was just trying to stop you because that was his job. His mandate was to capture, not kill, if at all possible. The worst Snyder would have done is hit you with his billy club. You could have knocked him out, but you flipped him over a railing to fall several stories to his death. He left behind a wife and two young children."

"But I kept the Intersect away from Fulcrum."

"You could have done that by reporting the contact. If you were worried about moles in the CIA and had to go through with the rogue mission, you could have destroyed the computer, emailed someone who wasn't a civilian, then let yourself be captured. Instead, you killed a man, made Chuck a target for the enemy, and tried to return to Fulcrum."

"I didn't intentionally return to Fulcrum. When Fulcrum intercepted my ambulance, I was unconscious, suffering from Casey's gunshot. They must have taken me to a European clinic."

Chuck said, "That makes no sense. Your transport ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. If you were in Europe, they would have sent you someplace like New York. You must know more."

"Trust me, I don't. When I was out of it in DC, I was awake for a few seconds. I told them I had downloaded the Intersect into me. That's why they kept me alive."

Sarah wasn't buying it as a useful plan. "The only way that would've worked is if you continued working for them. They would've been surprised when they discovered that you had no special knowledge and that without me, you were a sloppy spy."

Casey came back into the room with two large, uniformed men. He said to Chuck and Sarah, "This guy's a traitor. At best, he's an idiot that we shouldn't trust because our enemies can easily manipulate him. Even if that is the case, he's a murderer who killed a father with young children. You're not going to get anything useful out of him that we could believe. He should be moved to maximum security."

Sarah didn't disagree, and Bryce was escorted out.

Chuck sarcastically said, "That was all sorts of fun."

Sarah took Chuck's hand. "Let's go. Ellie is showing me how to make the stuffing for tonight."

* * *

_**That evening**_

Sarah couldn't believe how great her life had turned out. After dinner, she happily stood to the side of Ellie and Devon's living room, between the dining area and the front door. She had been ordered out of the kitchen as Devon carved up the rest of the turkey for leftovers. While the meal itself had been fantastic, Chuck had insisted there was nothing better than Thanksgiving leftovers. It was the meal that "thankfully kept on giving."

Two years ago on one of her first missions with Bryce, he had been captured and held at gunpoint on the streets of Bogota. They were fleeing with a metal suitcase that was the objective of their mission. She shot his captor while she still held the suitcase. She lost track of how many times she saved his life after that. It had seemed like something that was part of her job as the girlfriend.

Now, she was part of this family. They considered her presence vital, not to eliminate whatever threat came, but because her mere presence made them happy. She knew that they were on her side no matter what happened, a stronger bond than she had ever experienced before.

Chuck saddled up to her side and wrapped an arm around her back so they faced the others in the kitchen and those still at the dining room table. They stood back several feet so they had a modicum of privacy. Everyone else was preoccupied with other things. He kissed her head through her hair and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Sarah answered quietly so only he could hear, "About Bryce and about how lucky I am that this is my life."

"We're just lucky undead Bryce didn't show up and try to ruin Thanksgiving dinner."

Sarah laughed. "We wouldn't want that. I'm not hungry now, but when I finally am, tomorrow or after a couple of days, do we need to have a botched dinner at an Italian restaurant to get some of those leftovers? Or can I just show up? I promise to sleep in your bed afterwards as long as you don't mind being there too."

Chuck quietly laughed, "No avoided proposal or hotel room complication necessary. I suppose I could suffer through sharing my bed. It wouldn't be a good idea to sleep on the sofa blocking the gun safe underneath. That's got to be against the thirty-foot rule." Sarah and Chuck shared a quick kiss. "I wonder what they serve to prisoners for Thanksgiving dinner. Do they take them off gruel and give them turkey?"

"If they do, the gravy is probably thin and greasy. Bryce will probably be on a restricted diet because they're still monitoring his vitals. It'll be better than my last Thanksgiving dinner, about ten years ago."

"_Ten years?_"

"In the CIA, I was often on a mission. A couple years ago, my mom tried to put a big meal together the second week of December when I managed to visit. Turkey breasts from a butcher shop were nice, but I didn't want to put that much pressure on her. It was enough that we were together around the holidays. The day was closer to Christmas than Thanksgiving, anyway."

"What about college?"

"I spent my breaks training at the Farm. Before that, I was traveling with my dad. The last Thanksgiving dinner that I was referring to consisted of frozen Hungry Man turkey meals. You can have those any evening."

"Well, now that you are a Bartowski, you get the full Bartowski family experience every holiday. I only wish your mom could be here too."

Sarah sadly said, "Me too. About that. You've been perfect about not pushing."

"I figured it had to be something really important for you to cut her out of your life. It's not my place to second guess you when you make a decision like that."

"Thank you. I want to tell you more. It's not as big as that big secret of what is in your head, but you have two people providing full-time protection. For her, two lives are at stake, and the only protection is secrecy. I want to talk to you about it—maybe this holiday weekend, sometime after you deal with the Black Friday chaos at the Buy More. There is nothing for us to do right away. If we do something, I don't think we should even try anything before Christmas. We could leave it alone, but I don't want secrets or lies between us."

Chuck rubbed her arm in comfort. "Whatever you want." She turned her head, and Chuck's and Sarah's lips met in another brief kiss.

Before them, Casey, Morgan, and Alex talked amicably at the table. The three of them had been getting along well the entire evening, unlike the other night at Chuck and Sarah's when motives were misinterpreted and under suspicion. Casey seemed to be trying hard not to freak people out. Morgan's enthusiasm was still extremely high, but he had toned it down a notch or two from his normal level. Alex seemed to be a calming influence. She had been very friendly to her father, while also showcasing how important Morgan was to her. Even as the three of them talked, Alex held her boyfriend's hand firmly on display on top of the table. It seemed that the three of them had found a safe way of interacting.

Devon was still carving turkey leftovers in the kitchen, but Ellie reached a stopping point, so she called Sarah in for a minute. After a moment of talking and smiles, the women gave each other a strong hug. When Sarah came back, Chuck asked, "What was that about?"

"Ellie asked me to be her maid of honor like she was for me. I guess I'm to be her matron of honor."

"That's great!" He hugged her.

"She joked that their engagement is already several days longer than ours. She and Devon probably won't get married for six months to a year, because she has something in mind that's closer to a production than an elopement. Not that we eloped—close family was there. You know what I mean. Ellie wants me to help plan, though I bet she has a lot of specifics in mind."

"She certainly does," Chuck agreed.

"Next week, we're going to do some initial planning and look into the availability of ceremony and reception locations."

Chuck said, "She told me a couple of days ago that she always thought our dad would walk her down the aisle. We don't even know where he is."

"We're going to find Orion to help with that thing in your head. If we can do that, we can find your dad too. It'll be easy by comparison."

"I didn't think we could use government resources for something like that."

"This is important to you, and you're important to the government. Our mandate allows us to do almost anything if we can come up with even the slightest reason. Ensuring the safety of people related to the human Intersect is a very valid reason. If he's really missing, I bet he's owes back taxes, or the government owes him money. He ought to be located either way. We can do this." She gave him a quick kiss.

Casey got up from the table, giving Alex a light hug and even shaking Morgan's hand. He went to the kitchen where Ellie and Devon were re-packing the fridge. He thanked them both, getting a hearty hand-shake and a slap-on-the-back hug from Devon and a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek from Ellie. When Casey reached Chuck and Sarah on his way to leave, he tilted his head for them to follow him outside.

Out in the courtyard, Chuck said, "That went well."

Casey agreed saying, "That's the best Thanksgiving I've had in a couple decades. I had forgotten what it's like to feel like part of a family on a holiday for families."

Chuck said, "You _are_ family."

"Thanks, Chuck." Casey actually smiled. It looked unusual on his face, but not forced. Apparently it was in his skill set for something other than washing his car. "I had a real family member there, in addition to the people who are as good as family. It's a lot easier now that Alex knows a little of what I do, why I missed all of her life until now, and it wasn't my choice to leave her out of my life. Earlier this evening, she stopped by my place on her way to Ellie and Devon's. She wanted to make sure I was ok after last night. It was… I don't know. I just know I'll do anything for that girl. And Morgan? He still drives me nuts, but as long as he treats my daughter right and makes her face light up like he does, I can put up with him. Chuck, you've always said how steadfast he's been to you for most of your life. Being around him with Alex a couple nights, it's obvious how well he acts towards the people he really cares about."

"About Morgan," Sarah said. "I think we need to tell him what we really do." That declaration resulted in two surprised expressions facing her. She continued, "We shouldn't tell him about the Intersect, of course. He can think Chuck is involved because of me."

Chuck added, "He knows about my Piranha identity."

"Good. It means it makes sense that you'd be working with us doing white-hat hacking. Bryce isn't going to be working undercover or maybe seeing daylight ever again, so we don't need to make up a story about how he and I knew each other. With Morgan involved with Alex, who already knows we're agents, and with Morgan always around, he's going to accidentally figure out something is going on."

"It's really ok to tell Morgan?" Chuck asked.

"It's better if we control the situation instead of something coming out when we are dealing with a serious circumstance that we can't put on hold. We were lucky last night that Alex helped cover our quick exit. We've only known her for a few weeks. She shouldn't be forced into a situation like that. Chuck, you've told me Morgan has been your most loyal friend for years. Do you think we can trust him to keep our spy work secret?"

"Of course. In private, he might seem almost unbearable at times. He's an acquired taste. It's only because he gets excited and wants to help. If we emphasize to him how important secrecy is, he won't be even a slight concern. It would help if he knows the seriousness of the stakes so he knows to stay out of it and not do anything that might break our covers. I could imagine a circumstance in which he accidentally outed us without intending to because he doesn't know what we do."

Sarah and Chuck looked to Casey for his opinion.

Casey said, "I think we can trust him. I don't want Alex and Morgan to have issues because of something that Morgan should know, too. He won't say anything as long as he knows that keeping his mouth shut about it will protect the guy he calls his brother, his sister-in-law, and his girlfriend's father. When Alex, Morgan, and I were talking after dinner, he got talking about superheroes. It was one of those things where you think he is going on and on about something that's not important. However, he said the best thing about those superhero stories is the good guys always win. We're the good guys. He wouldn't dream of jeopardizing our safety. He also told me that he appreciates that I haven't been harassing him at work lately because he's always respected my service, in what he thinks is the reserves. I think his first loyalty is to the Bartowskis, which includes both of you, but his second is to this country. He'll be a faithful ally."

Sarah said, "Good. It's agreed. I'll propose this to Graham and Beckman next week. We won't do anything without their approval. Furthermore, I think we need to let Ellie and Devon know. If I had been injured last night, the doctors would have noticed, and it would've been hard to explain. Keeping them in the dark doesn't serve a purpose. It just creates the possibility of them being exploited when they don't know the truth."

There were no objections, so she continued her proposal. "Chuck, you're going to need to help estimate how Ellie will handle it. Devon will be able to handle it if she's ok with it. Unlike the others, I think we should tell Ellie about the Intersect—specifically because her specialty is the brain. We still haven't found a scientist that we can trust about the Intersect, and you haven't seen a doctor about any effects to your head."

Chuck frowned. "Years ago, when Ellie was learning to be a doctor, I was adamant to her that she couldn't ethically practice on me."

"This is different. The stakes are higher, while that was an untrained sister messing with her brother. Graham and Beckman are going to start having some government scientists work with the Intersect. We don't know if they'll know what they're doing or whether they're knowingly or unknowingly working for Fulcrum, like Perseus. We can trust Ellie. If she says it would help to have other doctors and scientists involved, we could do that, but she would be a valuable gatekeeper to make sure Chuck's safety is paramount."

Chuck stayed silent, eyes wide at the idea that his whole extended family might find out that he's been working with the NSA and CIA and that Sarah is a spy.

Casey said, "If our bosses say it's ok, it sounds like a good course of action to me. Good night, Bartowski and Bartowski." He nodded to each of them them before going through the door into his apartment.

Sarah put her arm through Chuck's, and they turned back to the apartment that still had the other two couples. She said, "This is my favorite holiday." They walked slowly by the fountain, in no hurry to return to the party and get out of the nice, cool evening air. It was about sixty degrees, but that just gave them a reason to lean closer into each other.

"Not Christmas?" Chuck asked.

"Sometime, I'll have to tell you about the cons that I used to do with my dad at Christmastime."

"Well you're a Bartowski, now. You will be heart-warmed with lots of snuggling, a fake fireplace, and a Twilight Zone marathon."

"Sounds perfect. Maybe I'll really like Christmas with you and the rest of our family." She kissed Chuck briefly before they re-entered the apartment. "Let's get back to enjoying _this_ holiday. Ellie said one of my pre-wedding duties is making sure Morgan doesn't eat after midnight, preferably leaving before then. I don't know why that is important, but I take my matron of honor duties seriously."

* * *

A/N: I didn't make Bryce a murderer as a way to make him look bad. The show did that, trying to make him look cool. I watched the first episode several times before I realized what actually happened in the middle of that exciting scene with the guy who wasn't an accountant. Bryce really kicked a security guard down a stairwell, presumably to his death. On youtube: watch?v=2Yr-zdvbcKU&t=2m30s

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of how the Bartowskis—Chuck and his Nemesis's Ex—would deal with what the spy world threw their way. Some of the next season and a half of plot lines fizzle out: Ellie has Devon's jewels, Bryce is in a deep dark hole, and Stephen Bartowski is as hard to find as Orion. Jill? Well, that may be coming in a different story…

There's also a sequel to "Chuck vs His Former Handler." In case you don't remember, it's an AU covering 1.04 (Chuck vs the Wookiee) until the end of the first season. A sequel would probably be a 5-8 chapter AU paralleling 2.01 (Chuck vs the First Date) through 2.08 (the Jill arc). Sticking with the established details of that universe, it is de-intersected Chuck and his girlfriend moved in with him, Ellie, and Devon at the end of "Chuck vs His Former Handler." It continues through early season two spy problems and deal with the fact that there isn't an official team and that newly engaged Ellie and Devon know that Sarah is a CIA agent (That discovery happened after Sarah loudly neutralized Bryce when he ruined that story's Thanksgiving dinner—i.e. undead Bryce showed up.)

Songs:  
\- "Happy Together" by the Turtles  
\- _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ theme by Vince Guaraldi as performed by Vince Guaraldi Trio or as performed by George Winston


End file.
